Elf 17
by ShadowElfBard
Summary: When a project that Raines has kept hidden for thirteen years is discovered, the Centre decides to use it to their advantage...and Jarod's capture.
1. Discovery

ELF 17

**Disclaimer:** Yes, sadly it's true. I own nothing. All Pretender characters (excluding Elf 17 and a few minor roles) belong to some major television corporation who probably rake in thousands of dollars off of the show, merchandise, books (etc)… Life just isn't fair.

**Rating: **At worst I'd say a PG-13. I don't do the "F" word. Sorry if (for some insane reason that only your psychiatrist knows) you like words like that.

**Time and setting:**  Set before Jarod ever found his father or the clone. Raines is alive, evil, and still with power, Mr. Parker is still the Centre figurehead, and the Centre and Triumvate are growing impatient. The year is 1999. I have no real particular reason for choosing this year I just need it for a small explanation in the story. I'm no good with dates though, so if the original Pretender storyline dates are all screwed up then I'm sorry but you'll just have to try and remember that this is my personal world of fiction. (No matter how scary it is.) ;) 

**Summary:** When a special project Raines has kept hidden for thirteen years is unveiled; the Centre decides to use it to their advantage…and Jarod's capture.

**Note From Author:** I loooove the Pretender and I hope I have all my facts straight about it. This is my very first fan fiction though I have a lot of writing experience and am also currently working on a second novel of mine (non-Pretender) in my spare time. 

**Feedback:** Please and thank you!

**Special note: **When words are italicized and not in quotations the person is thinking. For Raines, (…) means that the wheeze bag is pausing to breath. Thanx and enjoy!

***********************************_ShadowElfBard_***************************************

And Now On To The Fiction!

9:50 am, Friday 

Blue cove,Deleware

The Centre

Raines' Office

  "Sir?" A timid voice from the doorway of Raines' office.

   "Come in."

   Willie cautiously entered and tried to hide his fear. Raines may look like a corpse, but the man was scarier than the Anti-Christ and twice as ruthless. He knew all too well the fate received for getting on his bad side.

   As if testing the waters he asked, "you wanted to see me, sir?"

   Raines got up out of his seat and wheeled over to the sweeper, the eerie sound of the oxygen tank raising shivers up Willlie's spine.

   "Yes," Raines replied and breathed in deep. "It's about the girl."

   Willie had to keep from sighing in relief. It wasn't about him. He wasn't going to die today. He paused in his giddy thoughts. What if she was gone? What if she had…dare he think it, escaped? A new panic overtook him and his eyes widened. He quickly hid his reaction though, and forced himself to calm down and think logcially. _Get the facts before you die of a heart attack! _He chided himself.

   He cleared his throat. "What about the girl, sir?"

   "Somehow the Centre has found out about her and I (…) am being forced to bring her forward." More wheezing. "I want her prepared and where T-boards are held (…) in no less than ten minutes."

   Willie silently praised whatever deity was looking out for him, and then nodded to Raines. "Yes sir. Immediately sir."

   But before he was through the door Raines called out to him once more. 

    "Be careful about how you act. (…) Nothing can go wrong."

   Willie nodded in comprehension before practically jogging out into the hall.

   Raines used his intercom, telling a secretary to inform Mr. Parker that he'd be arriving shortly, and then also exited the office.

   Only after the lights had gone out and all was quiet, did a worried Angelo turn to travel through the air ducts to SL-26.

9:52 am, Friday

Blue Cove, Delaware

The Centre

SL-26, Cell 14

The clanging and banging of the air ducts overhead fifteen-year-old Elf 17's cot caused her normally sparkling emerald green eyes to splice and change to an orange-yellow shade. Her slim, pointed ears moved independently, searching for a similar sound. She moved out from under the thin and scratchy blankets slowly and crouched on the cold stone flooring, her abnormally hard and sharp fingernails clawing the ground in anticipation. Her slightly small nose gently tested the smells in the room and her strong and flexible body tensed.

   Suddenly she stopped sniffing, and a smile came to her perfectly crafted red lips, revealing canines of an unusual length. With a blink her eyes shifted back to normal and she stood in a graceful motion.

   "Angelo? What are you doing here?" Elf 17 asked, amused.

   The air duct opened and Angelo slowly crawled out, giving her a small wave that she happily returned. She brushed back her short, ebony black hair and gave him a grin that lit up her joy-filled eyes. 

   "I haven't seen you for five days, Angelo. What are you doing here now?" She spoke gently, and sat down on her cot, looking at him expectantly.

   Angelo nervously scratched his head and stared at her with a blank expression before attempting to form an answer. "W-Willie. Meeting, T-board…" he trailed off and looked at her with yearning eyes.

   Elf 17 gave him a reassuring smile. "It's okay, Angelo. Willie has taken me to meet with Raines loads of times. It's nothing new. "

   Angelo shook his head violently. "No! Find Jar--" 

   He was cut off abruptly by Elf 17's hurried whisper. 

   "Shh!" She urged. "Someone's coming!"

   Angelo quickly scampered back into the air duct and Elf 17's eyes changed once again. She lowered her head and gave a warning growl to whoever was at the door. Even though she knew it was Willie, and she was usually okay about him, her more animal instincts told her to be prepared for any possible danger.

   When Willie came into the pitch-black room and turned on the lights, he almost jumped out of his skin upon seeing Elf 17, belly low to the ground and preparing to leap up. 

   "Gaah!" he yelled, papers flying up into the air.

   Elf 17 suddenly sat on the floor and laughed with youthful abandon at his reaction.

   After he'd collected the papers he tried in vain to give her a look of authority. In the end though, he couldn't keep a grin from marring his usually stoic expression.

   Having had her fun, Elf 17 stood up and folded her arms, ready to hear what Willie had to say.   

   Willie gave her a smile, happy that he could relax in her presence. "I don't know how much Raines would like you attacking me."

   "Sorry," she responded sincerely. "Instinct…sort of."

   He gave a warm chuckle. "Of course. Putting that aside, Mr. Raines has instructed me to prepare you for a meeting in the T-board room.  Get clean, and be ready to stay silent unless spoken to."

   "Alright. Mr. Raines will be there, correct?"

   "Yes. He'll ... he'll be speaking on your behalf." He laughed suddenly. "Now get ready before you get me killed!"

   She bit back a smile. "Okay. Do I change clothes?" She gestured to her gray pants and shirt, which had her ID number stitched militarily on the right sleeve.

   Willie shook his head. "No. Be ready in 3 minutes." he reached into his suit pocket and handed her two items. "Use the washcloth with the water in the sink and just comb through your hair."

   "Okay."

   After he'd shut the door Elf 17 turned back to the small air vent opening.

   "Alright Angelo, I can smell that you're still here, so go on and leave now, okay? Willie will be back soon and I don't have any more time to chat with you safely." She gave a small, sad smile. "Come back soon."

   When she was sure he'd gone for good, she began to wash her face and brush her hair. While doing so, her always-active brain analyzed the clues and hints that she'd picked out of Willie's words.

    _Great. A meeting in the T-board room. Raines will be there and since he's supposedly speaking on my behalf than somehow the others at the Centre have found out about me. I'll bet that there'll be at least one member from the Triumvate. It'll be important, but seeing as they don't care about my look, it'll be mainly focused on someone else. The fact that I'm involved means that they can use me somehow. Raines will probably be judged on me though and asked why the Centre wasn't aware of me before. Whew. I think too much._

She chuckled and continued brushing.

9:56 am, Friday 

Blue Cove, Delaware

The Centre

Pursuit Team's Main Office

Sydney looked curiously over the letter he'd been given just a few moments earlier, with Broots furiously typing away on the computer. Once the psychiatrist had read it through, his eyes widened in shock. Broots glanced over at Sydney, about to tell him he'd found a possible lead on Jarod, when he saw the expression on his comrade's face.

   "Uh, Syd? You okay, Sydney?" The computer technician asked tentatively.

   "No Broots," Sydney replied a bit sadly, a hint of confusion in his voice. He stared at the message. "No, I don't think I am."

   Broots's brow furrowed and he slowly got up to look at the paper in Sydney's hand. The psychiatrist handed it to him, and he realized the reason for Sydney's behavior. 

   "They want you to attend the T-board?! What did you do wrong, Sydney?"

   "Apparently nothing. They want me to be **_part_** of the board."

   Broots got a worried look. "It's not because of…well, you know, the uh… the information I found?"

   Sydney looked up at him in an attempt to calm his fears. "It's probably not your fault, Broots. I assure you."

   Broots let out a sigh of relief. "That's good. Oh! Before I forget." He turned and sat back down at the computer, and Sydney walked over, ready to check out the latest tip. 

   Just as they'd started talking, a familiar female voice rang out.

   "What the hell is going on?!"

   Broots jumped and his new computer chair rolled out from under him, his butt landing rather unceremoniously on the concrete ground. Sydney, smooth as always, just calmly turned around. When Broots finally looked up, he was greeted by the smirking face of the pretty, though many times frightening, Ms. Parker.

   Broots let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding, and put a hand to his chest in a futile effort to calm his rapidly beating heart. "Please don't **_do _**that, Ms. Parker!"

   "Sorry Broots," she said in a tone thick with insincerity. "Where's the doc?"

   "I'm right here Ms. Parker," cut in Sydney in a cool, even manner. "What is it that you want to know?"

   She turned to him and crossed her arms, her self-satisfied smile changing into a frown. "I want to know why everyone's running around like a bomb's exploded."

   "Good analogy," Broots muttered, sitting back down in his seat. 

   Ms. Parker turned swiftly in his direction. "Know something, Broots?" 

   His eyes widened. "N-n-no I-"

   "Calm down Broots," Sydney said, cutting him off. He faced Ms. Parker. "There's a meeting being held. T-board."

   "T-board?! Why?"

   "When searching various Centre files yesterday, Broots stumbled upon a pet project that Raines has been keeping secret from the Centre. Raines is being asked to bring it forward."

   She smiled, a malevolent glint in her eyes. "Oh, good. I love to see that wheeze bag burn. Who's going to be there?"

   "The people questioning him will be a member from the Triumvate, Bridgett, Lyle, your father, and…well, me."

   Ms. Parker's eyes widened in astonishment. "You?!"

   Sydney chuckled. "Yes, it was quite a surprise to me as well."

   "Unbelievable," she muttered. Then, in a louder tone, "when is it?"

   Sydney checked his wristwatch. "Actually, in approximately four minutes. I should get going."

   "All right, Sydney. I think Broots and I will go watch."

   Broots spun around from the computer. "What?!"

   "Of course. I'd love to see the death glare Raines gives you when he find out that **_you're _**the reason his secret project is out in the open."

   A horrified look slowly crept onto Broots's face as he realized the truth of her statement. He took on a pained expression. 

   "Oh God."  

9:59 am, Friday 

Blue Cove, Delaware

The Centre

T-board Entrance Hall 

Elf 17 and Willie slowly walked down the hall that led to the T-board room, Elf 17's bare feet moving silently on the polished floor. 

   After Willie had come back to fetch her, he'd thrown her a pair of jean shorts and a slightly revealing white halter top, and told her to change into them. She'd asked why Raines had changed his mind, and Willie had told her somewhat reluctantly that Raines's exact words had been, "the more they can see of her, the better they can judge her." Elf 17 was used to being referred to as an item, or a pet to show off, and what Willie told her hadn't fazed her in the least.

   Willie was walking in front of her, looking around nervously with his hands in his pockets to keep them from twitching. Elf 17 was his opposite, completely calm, but she had known the second they'd entered the hall that Willie would be nervous. She pitied him as she watched him. She'd pretended to be a sweeper once or twice, for sheer fun, and she knew how hard they had it. Finally the silence became too much for her. She decided to start up a conversation, if only to take his mind off of the T-board, in which she was sure were unpleasant memories for him. Not wanting the conversation to be too unnatural, she decided to complain about something slightly, so that he could get into the role he knew best: a scolding parent-like babysitter.

   "Did Mr. Raines **_really _**have to put on the controller anklet?" she asked in a pretended whine, referring to the metallic band around her ankle.

   Willie took the bait easily and without prompting, as Elf 17 had known he would. "Do you always have to be asking so many questions? You know the answer without me wasting my breath telling you," he said, never once turning around.

   "Yeah, but bugging you is so much more fun." _Not to mention all of the extra info you unknowingly give me, _she added silently.

   Willie's eyes rolled towards the ceiling. "And **_that's _**why you have the anklet. You're too childish. You see everything as a game to play."

   Elf 17 dropped the pretend, actually getting into the conversation. "Well you and Raines would have me act like some respectful **_slave_**_._ Which, by the way, you're not very good at, friend."

   Willie nearly jumped at the word 'friend'. "Don't say that!" Then, more softly, "at least, don't say it in the T-board room. Just try to remember, I'm not your friend. I'm your…bodyguard. Your protector."

   Elf 17 had to keep from laughing out loud at the outrageous lie. "Sure," she scoffed, still biting back a giggle.

    Willie sighed. "Just keep a quiet and civil tongue. You're a pretender; act like one."

   "Ah, but a pretender is many, so how can one possibly conceive of a set of mannerisms and thoughts patterns that would fit one who copies them from others?" 

   Willie stopped walking. "You're too smart for your own good, you know that?"

   Elf 17 laughed. "Yeah."

    He started walking again and was affected by her good-natured mood. "You know, it's amazing that you can still have a sense of humor after working under Raines all your life."

   Elf 17 smirked. "Pretender skills, remember?"

   "You must be one hell of a pretender."

    Her smile disappeared. "I was taught that way," she replied softly.

   Willie didn't notice the change in her tone and continued until he'd reached the door. He turned and faced her, and she put on a fake smile to keep him from noticing how her own mood was falling. "Well, we're here."

   "Yep."

   He was obviously uncomfortable and so she helped him by just putting out her hand. He sighed and shook it.

   "I wish you luck."

   At his kindness, her true smile returned. "Thanks."

   He put a hand on her shoulder and then turned to leave back down the hall.

   "Oh, and Willie?" 

   He turned around. 

   "A prayer wouldn't hurt."

   He let out a laugh despite himself and then walked away, shaking his head in amusement.

   Elf 17 looked at the door and prepared to wait.

10:03 am, Friday  
Blue Cove, Delaware 

The Centre

T-board

The room was a pit of shadows, and fear hung thick and heavy in the stale air. 

    Broots, sitting near the entrance with Ms. Parker, glanced over at the Right now it was empty, but Broots remembered a time when he had been locked in there along with Ms. P and Sydney. It had been one of the most terrifying moments of his life, and, remembering, he quickly glanced away. He shook his head, dispelling the nightmarish reminiscences, and gazed around.

   Near the back of the room was the T-board itself and the five questioners (Mr. Parker in the middle, Lyle and Bridgett on his left, and the Triumvate member and Sydney on his right), sighed impatiently or simply clasped their hands, bored and waiting.

   Just knowing that so many of the people that scared him were there, watching and listening, gave Broots goose bumps. Luckily, however, they weren't watching or listening for him.

   He looked down at his watch and pressed the 'light up' button and read the time by the faintly glowing green light.

**10:05am**

   He gulped and looked over at the single lit up area in the room-- the pool of blinding light that Raines was standing in. The proceedings were about to begin and Ms. Parker shot Broots a look that clearly said, 'don't make a sound or I'll wring your neck. I've waited too long to see Raines go down and I won't let you spoil it for me.'

   It was amazing all of the things a look could say.

   Mr. Parker cleared his throat. "Come forward, Raines."

   Raines walked purposely forward, his breathing oddly reminding Broots of Darth Vader.

   "I'm here," the doctor wheezed.

   "It has come to our attention that you have used Centre financing for a secret project without authorization or even the awareness of the Centre," Mr. Parker stated professionally.

   Raines gave a chilling smile. "And you wish (…) to know the nature of the project."

   Lyle grinned in the dark. "Quite frankly Raines, yes."

   To his left, Bridgett pulled out a lollipop she'd been sucking on. "You've spent thirteen years on this project, luv. Hope it was worth it."

   "It was," answered Raines coolly. "In fact, I think you'll (…) all agree wholeheartedly."

   The Triumvate member, a spindly and almost snakelike man named Nathaniel, grew impatient. Everyone in the Triumvate had been on the edge of their seats the past day or so, trying to figure out Raines' project. To the Triumvate it was like finding out that you have an extra present on Christmas morning.

   "Then show us," Nathaniel nearly pleaded. Then, more softly, "explain why you put so much time and effort into this."

   Raines had known how curious the Triumvate would be, and knew that if this went well, he'd be promoted a few notches. "Of course." He turned to the sweepers. "Open the doors."

* * *

  


Elf 17 stepped through the double doors with a wary, half-smile on her face. She searched her mind, and then assumed a stance that she believed would please the five people sitting before her. She walked forward cautiously with a blank face and downward gaze. She had assumed the role of a servant-- one that knew her place.

    She looked out of the corner of her eye when she walked past the two people sitting on the bench, her nocturnal vision allowing her to see everything in the room.  The woman she recognized as the directors daughter, and the man…then it hit her. This was the computer technician, part of a pursuit team of some kind. Broots, she thought his name was. She smiled at him, though all he could see was her outline in the dark.

   She looked at the board of people and recognized nearly everyone from pictures or Sims. There was the psycho Lyle, the deceitful Mr. Parker, the conniving but childish Bridgett, and the good intentioned but naïve psychiatrist, Sydney. She also saw a man she knew was a Triumvirate member, but she was unfamiliar with him.

   She was now at the very edge of the shadows, and all it would take would be one more step and her existence would be known to all of the people in this room. She hesitated. But, seeing the expectant look and narrowed eyes of Raines, she took a deep breath, stepped from the darkness, and after becoming bathed in a blinding light, she did the one thing that sent the boards' reactions over the edge.

   She said hello.

* * *

  


The first audible thing in the room was a series of gasps. Mr. Parker had leaned in closer, Bridgett's lollipop had fallen out of her gaping mouth, and The Triumvate member looked like he'd been bought a puppy.

   Lyle's eyes widened and his mouth curved into a smile. "Wonderful."

   Sydney for one was horrified. He certainly hadn't **_expected_** the project to be a girl. _Raines are you insane?!?!_ He was still unable to tear his gaze away from the fifteen-year-old girl, no doubt one of the many prisoners of the Centre.  The images that swam in his mind… It reminded him too much of what it had been like teaching Jarod.

   In the back of the room Ms. Parker and Broots were unable to keep from exclaiming in amazement, "your project's a human?!"

   Elf 17 backed her ears in sudden fear from all of the wide-eyed stares, but this movement only brought even more hurried whispers. She glanced over at Raines and noticed angrily that he seemed to be basking in their shocked reactions. _Bastard_, she mentally cursed. She'd known that this was how it would be, of course; she just hadn't thought she'd feel the need to mentally shield herself. But all the attention she was receiving was new to her, and if she didn't get into a pretend quickly, she knew the animal instinct to "fight of flee" would surface, and neither of those choices were available options. She sunk into the pretend of the servant she'd tried to look like earlier, and found there stares much more tolerable.

    Raines was grinning from ear to ear. "This is Elf 17," he introduced, indicating the girl beside him.

   "Wh-what exactly **_is _**she Raines?" inquired Nathaniel.

   Raines smirked. "What else? A pretender."

   "We already have pretenders. Quite a few of them," Lyle commented, still not taking his penetrating gaze off of Elf 17.

   "But you're not satisfied yet," stated Raines.

   "Why wouldn't we be?" Mr. Parker growled.

   "Because a certain (…) pretender of yours is gone."

   "Jarod."

   Elf 17 had to stop her head from shooting up. Now **_this_** was interesting news. A pretender of the Centre was gone? Why? Was he taken? Her brow furrowed but she didn't move, even though the hole that she was sure Lyle was boring into her made bile rise high in her throat.

   Sydney gave a clearing cough and Raines looked over in his direction. "Mr. Raines, are you suggesting that this young girl is more talented as a pretender than Jarod?"

   Now Raines had everyone's **_full_** attention.

   "Her abilities as a pretender are extremely high, and though she is very close… she is still second only to him."

   "Yet you still seem hopeful," the Nathaniel said, a bit confused.

   "Yes."

   Bridgett pulled out her lollipop. "Why luv?"  

   Raines turned to look at Elf 17 fondly, as though she were a kitten or baby animal. "Because she has a very useful ability. (…) One that Jarod doesn't."

   Lyle's eyes sparkled. " What ability would that be, Raines?"

   In the back of the room Ms. Parker leaned over to Broots. 

   "Yeah," she whispered. "What ability, and did it drive her insane like all of Raines' other projects?"

   Broots held down a laugh.

   Raines took out a small device that vaguely resembled a palm pilot. He pressed the side of the flat screen, and Elf 17's controller anklet tightened suddenly and roughly. Her ears shot back and she quickly turned to look at Raines, as she'd been taught to do. 

   Gritting her teeth against the pain, she spoke. "Y-yes, sir?"

   Raines didn't give notice to her expression. "I would like you to spar with Mr. Lyle." When Lyle's eyes widened Raines turned to look at him. "That is, if it is alright with you, Lyle."

   Lyle's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "A demonstration of her 'abilities', Raines? I'd be glad to help." His last sentence was drenched in sarcasm.

   Elf 17's eyes begged with Raines in what she knew was a futile plea for mercy. "Please sir," she whispered, barely audible, "I will fight him, but do I really have to use my ability? You know that I'm still learning to control it. I don't want to put anyone in dang-"

   Raines's hoarse laugh cut her off. "That cocky are you?"

   She frowned. "I'm just stating fact and you know it."

   His eyes blazed with anger. "You will fight, and you will use your ability. (…) Should I have to, I will use the controller anklet. (…) Mr. Lyle will be fine." His jaw set. "Now **_go_**." 

   Elf 17 sighed and nodded. _It's his funeral._

   Mr. Lyle took off his expensive suit coat and tie, rolled up his sleeves, and then walked to the center of the darkened room. Raines took Lyle's seat and motioned for the room lights to be brought up. 

   Elf 17 blinked once or twice, allowing her eyes to adjust to the light. Lyle grinned at her with a predatorial look. Elf 17's face remained blank.

   Suddenly, Mr. Parker called out, "Lyle, catch!"

   Lyle turned and caught a black object that was thrown to him. It was a gun.

   Elf 17 snapped her head to where Raines was seated, but all he did was smile and nod. 

   "Go ahead Lyle, they're blanks." Then he growled. "But if you mortally wound her (…) I will use you as the next test subject. (…) I've put thirteen years of work into this and I won't (…) have you ruin it out of blind anger. (…) No killing."

   "Understood perfectly, Raines. I won't kill." He grinned. "I wouldn't want to mess up dad's floor."

   Everyone but the pursuit team and Elf 17 laughed at the joke.

   Elf 17 flinched. No killing, but wounding was fine. Raines' lack of respect for life was sickening. She felt a shot of electricity jet through her leg and her ability rose up involuntarily, her eyes spliced and yellow. She lowered her head and bared her teeth, showing her sharp canines. A growl rose from low in her throat and she loosened her muscles, letting herself become as fluid in her movements as water.

   Lyle could hardly keep from licking his lips in anticipation. _This is going to be _fun_._

   Everyone in the room kept their eyes trained on Elf 17 as the two combatants began to circle each other. Elf 17's long, pointed ears were flattened against her skull and the intense concentration of her eyes was focused on the gun that Lyle was keeping trained on her. 

   Suddenly Lyle lunged at her, meaning to hit her with the handle of the weapon. Before he could even raise his arm though, Elf 17 practically jumped down to the floor of the room and swung out her leg, catching his ankle.

   Lyle toppled over but turned while falling and landed on his back. He began firing off shots at where Elf 17's legs might be, but she was able to see every time his finger pulled the trigger and moved accordingly. Lyle was slowly getting up and when he realized he was out of bullets, he threw the gun to the side of the room and charged at her. 

   Elf 17 waited almost patiently as he came running and then jumped straight into the air and did a small leap off of Lyle's back as he passed under her, thus able to reach a pipe that was bolted into the ceiling. Lyle was knocked to the ground on his stomach and she let go of the pipe and landed in a crouch on his back. He surprised her though, and rolled over, causing her to lose her balance. The two began to wrestle. 

   Elf 17 kicked his stomach when she couldn't free her arms from his grasp and when he let go because of the pain she scratched his face with her claw-like nails. He howled, four thin and bleeding cuts marring his cheek. Elf 17 jumped off of him and the two stood .

   Lyle still had a hand to his cheek, and she crouched low and leapt at him, using the force and energy from her previously coiled up leg muscles. She had hit him in the chest and knocked him once more to the ground when her body began convulsing. 

  Lyle pushed her off of him and stood up speedily, watching as her body's muscles began to spasm. When she had stopped she was curled up in a fetal position, tears of pain rolling down her pale white cheeks. Her eyes had turned green once more and she hugged her arms.

   Lyle's breathing was ragged and he stared down at the beautiful but deadly fifteen-year-old girl in awe. He hadn't had that good of a fight in **_years_**.****He picked up his gun from the corner of the room and walked back to his seat, trying to ignore the stinging pain in his cheek. 

   Raines stood up and let Lyle sit down, and then walked to where Elf 17 lay softly whimpering. He motioned with his fingers and a sweeper came over and grabbed Elf 17's arm, using it to haul her up from the ground.

   Her black hair, now wet from tears, fell around her face and stuck to her cheeks. She was barely standing and ignored the tight grip on her arm as red-hot shame washed over her. She didn't like losing herself like that, and she hated that Raines had been forced to use the controller anklet to keep her in line. 

   Suddenly, the shame was replaced by a spark of anger at letting herself cry and show weakness like this. She swallowed against the urge to vomit and stood, straightened, and pushed back her shoulders. She wiped the tears away with one arm and then lifted her head, staring defiantly at the board members. With a jerk of her arm the sweeper released her and went back to his post at the door.

   For a few moments all was quiet.

   Then Mr. Parker began to laugh. "Hah, hah! Raines I think you're on to something here! Please, give us the basic outline of the project that you'd begun. What **_was _**that?"

   Raines practically beamed at the praise. "Thank you, director. As you know, being a pretender has to do with certain genes and cells within the persons body, (…) which allows their brain to absorb traits, mannerisms, and to acquire knowledge easily and be able to retain it. (…) Their brain is able to understand nearly completely the human psyche (…) and to use it to **_become _**people in certain situations, using the psyche of the person they (…) are pretending to be to make an accurate judge of how a person with that specific mind frame would react." 

   He paused and looked at them seriously, taking in some deep breaths as he did so. "You also know the dangers of letting a pretender become certain people, such as the clinically insane, or the homicidal and psychotic (…) because the body and mind will not be able to deal with the change, and they may become that person indefinitely, (…) their own psyche rearranging to fit the profile of the person they are pretending to be. (…) Knowing this, I decided to try something." 

   He looked at Elf 17. "I began to see is a pretender could pretend to be an animal…And I found that (using a chemical made in the labs), by injecting the cells of the animal they were trying to pretend to be, the body accepted the cells and the mind was able to actually see things from an animal perspective and mindset (…) Elf 17 was the first successful _feral pretender_. (…) Later on, I discovered that since the psyche of an animal is different from a human, her body began to evolve at an alarming rate to fit the psyche change. Her muscles were getting stronger and developing faster, she had gained a cat-like balance and flexibility, and her bones were slightly lighter and able to move in abnormal directions."

   He wheezed. "The most prominent change was that of her ears, nails, eyes, and canine teeth. She also began to show the heightened senses of sight, sound, and smell. (…) She has become quite a profitable project."

   Once Raines had finished Mr. Parker and the others began to talk among themselves, but Sydney stayed out of it. He couldn't keep his eyes off of the girl. He understood what Raines had said, and he could hardly imagine the strain that must put on her mind and body. He wondered how many other "feral pretenders" Raines had tried to create, and how many others had failed. He shuddered involuntarily.

   That's when a question came to his mind. 

   "Raines, where did Elf 17 come from?"

   The chatter beside him stopped and the board members brought their attention to the doctor. 

   Raines smiled. "She was an orphan from a child care services in California… The Centre has connections with them and they had been previously told to look for any signs of a pretender being brought over."

   "Well Raines, " Mr. Parker said, apparently at an agreement with the others at the table, "it seems that you have gotten yourself off of the hook for keeping this project a secret."

   Broots quickly risked his life by placing his hand over Ms. Parker's mouth before she could shout out in protest. She glared at him and Broots clenched his eyes, waiting to be slapped or hit. After a few seconds he removed his hand and opened his eyes, realizing that nothing was happening. Ms. Parker had her lips pursed but was paying absolutely no attention to Broots, her eyes once again focused on her father's conversation with Raines. It was at that moment that Broots became a religious man.

   Mr. Parker continued what he'd been saying. "So Raines, you may stay in control over the project. But," he looked at him meaningfully, "though beating up an armed Lyle is a great feat, how can we be sure that she's actually…worth, Centre finances?"  

   Raines was silent for a moment. " I thought she might need to prove her worth to you, and I have already planned a suitable test for her."

   "And that would be…?" asked Lyle, gently rubbing the healing scratches on his face.

   "Capturing Jarod, of course."

* * *

  


Dun, dun, Dun!

   So how was it? Was it horrible? Should I change my penname to "ShadowElf-Who-Couldn't-Be-A-Bard-If-Her-Life-Depended-On-It"? Or would that be too long? (Desperately and nearly hysterically) Do I need to give up writing and ask people if they "want fries with that" all day long?! What do you people want from me?! [Weeping uncontrollably on knees] Just tell me already!!!

   …please?


	2. A Journey Begun

                                                    **Elf 17 chapter two**

Disclaimer: Not mine. Never was mine, isn't mine, never will be mine. Don't you just love, past, present, and future tenses?

Rating: Still PG-13 thought this chapter is more of a PG.

Time and Setting: Same as what I put in the other chapter.

Summary: When a project that Raines has kept hidden for thirteen years is discovered, the Centre decides to use it to their advantage…and Jarod's capture

Feedback: Do I have to go down on my knees and beg? [excitedly] Because I can! Really well too!

[Shadow Elf gets down on knees and straightens out medieval style clothing.] Oh please, help out a poor, cold, lonely, Elf. I am but a lowly bard and need the food that feedback provides to live another story. Oh woe is--[passing knight picks up the Shadow Elf by the collar and flings her into the snow.]  [sputtering snow out of her mouth angrily] Oh just forget it.

***S**pecial Note*** **I really want to thank those who gave me feedback so, here it goes. Thank You Soooooooooooooo much people who gave me feedback! (Not bad eh?")

   P.S: Thanks for the Triumvirate's real spelling!

*************************************ShadowElfBard**********************************

10:45 AM

Blue Cove, Delaware

The Centre

T-board meeting room

Again nothing could be heard but the 'chirping of crickets' in the dark and scary T-board room. What Raines had just said so nonchalantly had tried to be accomplished for nearly **_three years_**. Three long, tedious, and nearly bankrupt years for the Centre thanks to Jarod. To simply say that a teenage girl can so easily do what has come to be thought nearly impossible, was insane. Completely, and utterly, insane.

   At least, that was the opinion of the board that were now staring at Raines in what could only be described as shock, and astounded silence.

   Bridgett cleared her throat. "I'm sorry luv, maybe I didn't here you. Are you saying that this little girl can do what full grown, armed, and determined adults couldn't?"

   "Easily."  

   Bridgett bit the candy part of her lollipop in half.

   Elf 17 was becoming confused, which happened perhaps only once in a blue moon. She understood what they were asking, that they wanted her to, for some unknown reason, go out, track down and bring back a pretender that went AWOL. But what she didn't get was how the hell she was supposed to be able to do so easily what (from what she'd surmised) nearly the entire Centre couldn't. Plus, what made them think that she would just go and perform this task like a good dog?

   _Well now that's a stupid thought. _She chided herself. _You know *exactly* what makes them think that and you know that they're right. _She sighed as she listened to her voice of reason. _Ah well. At least it was nice to imagine you had a say in this…_

"Well Raines," Mr. Parker said at last, after having mulled over the prospects of his idea. "You said that she was a pretender right?"

   "Yes."

   "Then I suppose I can see how she might be able to accomplish it." he brightened noticeably. "Perhaps we can finally catch him. Wouldn't that be wonderful." He seemed to get lost in his own, twisted dream of having Jarod back at the Centre, his spirit broken and performing sims.

   While Mr. Parker was fantasizing Raines took the opportunity to ask for approval from the rest of the board. 

   After a few hesitant seconds, they all agreed. Everyone but Sydney.

   "Dr. Raines," Sydney said, saying 'Dr.' like it was something foul and filthy, "I don't believe that this girl will make any difference in my and my fellow colleagues search. If anything she would only hinder our progress--"

   "Which is why Mr. Sydney, she would not be working with the pursuit team…She'd be going alone. That way she'd be able to use her abilities freely and without constriction from your, 'colleagues'." Raines shot back, feeling his hatred for Sydney rise up.

   Sydney set his jaw and narrowed his eyes at Raines and for a while, the two were locked in a staring contest. Mr. Parker, finally coming back from his daydream, interrupted them.

   "Now, now Sydney. Anything to bring Jarod back home right?"

   "Of course Mr. parker, if the girl needs to find him on her own, let her go on her own." Sydney lied, trying to keep from sharing his opinion of Jarod's "home".

   Mr. Parker laughed. "That's the attitude to have Sydney! Determination!"

   Sydney rolled his eyes but was not noticed.

   That's when Elf 17 spoke. "Um, excuse--"

   Before she could finish speaking all twenty eyes in the room were focused on her. 

   She raised her eyebrows.

   "Go ahead. What is it?" Raines growled at her.

   "I was going to say, sir, that if it were all right with the board and yourself, I would like to have someone accompany me for the…hunt of this 'Jarod'."

   Raines raised an eyebrow. "Why?" he rasped.

   She thought up a quick lie. "I-I have no real experience out on my own sir. True I know what things are like from sims, but  I would feel much more secure and be able to work better if I had someone with me who lived in the real world and knew what to expect." she mentally crossed her fingers.

   Raines seemed to consider it. "Knowing you, you already have someone in mind…who is it?"

   Elf 17 smiled. "With your permission sir, I would like to bring Mr. Broots."

   In the back of the room, Broots nearly passed out from shock. His eyes dilated and he took on the look of a frightened rabbit.

   The board was surprised but Sydney was merely curious. What was the girl up to?

   Raines narrowed his eyes. "Why him?"

   Elf 17 had already prepared an answer. "His computer skills are admirable sir, and they would be a great asset. Also, he lives away from the Centre and has what most would consider a more normal life than many of the other Centre employees."

   Raines almost laughed out loud. "What makes you think that his computer skills are that good Elf 17?"

   Elf 17 smiled took on a look of innocence. "They were formidable enough to discover information about me in Centre files."

   Raines stood still for a moment and then his eyes seemed to catch fire. They were burning with hatred and he turned around slowly and looked back at the bench that Ms. Parker and Broots were sitting on. Ms. Parker glared back at him, while an extremely nervous Broots looked at his shoes and twiddled his thumbs.

   "So may I have your permission sir?"

   Raines turned back around, trying to smother his anger. He was about to tell her flat out no, when Mr. Parker answered her question.

   "Come on Raines, we want to do what's best for the Centre. If your project feels that she might need Mr. Broots' help, then she should have it. Anything to bring in Jarod."

   If possible, Raines looked even more furious. But he quickly gave Mr. Parker a false smile. "Of course Mr. Parker. Broots… will accompany Elf 17 on her search." _And then he will burn in a hell that I will gladly prepare for him._

   Broots' eyes widened. "B-but sir, my daughter! I can't leave her!"

   Elf 17 caught on to where he was going with this and she realized her mistake. She desperately turned to Mr. Raines. "Mr. Raines, I didn't know he had a daughter. I can't make him leave her. I take it back, I'll be fine on my own I-"

   Raines gave her a chilling look. "Nonsense Elf 17. your reasons were for bringing Mr. Broots were valid. He will come."

   Elf 17 all but exploded on him. "Sir, he has a daughter! I don't need him--"

   Her head turned violently as Raines backhanded her. She turned her head back around slowly, biting her tongue and drawing forth blood to keep from changing and attacking Raines flat out. While her cheek still stung from the force of his blow, she met his intense glare and then lowered her head in submission, realizing that the man wasn't about to change his mind. 

   Mr. Parker, Lyle, Bridgett and the Triumvirate member all watched in silent observation. It was easy to tell easily from their indifferent looks whose side they were taking. Sydney however, felt like jumping up and strangling Raines.

   Broots felt nauseated, knowing that the girl had just been hit trying to help him. Beside him Ms. Parker put a hand over her mouth in shock at Raines' brutality, and how easily the other board members were able to turn a blind eye to it.

   Raines looked at the board. "I believe all matters have been sorted out Mr. Parker?"

   Mr. Parker nodded. "You may go Raines."

   Raines turned and left, wheeling his oxygen tank rolling alongside him. He motioned at the sweepers when he reached the door, and they walked over to Elf 17 and grabbed her arms to "escort" her back to her room.

   One by one the board members left, many looking much happier than when they'd first entered. Almost everyone cleared out but Ms. Parker, Sydney and Broots remained. 

   "Well that was a cheery meeting." Ms. Parker sneered, wishing she'd brought her cigarettes.

   Sydney sighed. "Somehow I can't help but wonder how Raines and all the others go to bed at night with a clear conscience."

   Ms. Parker snorted. "That's an easy one Syd.  It's because they don't **_have_** one."

   Broots swallowed. "I-I guess I'd better go home and pack. I need to find someone to watch Debbie." 

   Ms. Parker rolled her eyes upward and placed a hand on Broots' shoulder. "I'll watch Debbie."

   "But I-I don't want you to go out of your way. I mean-" 

   "It's no trouble Broots. Besides it'll be…safer." She looked at him meaningfully. 

   Sydney raised an eyebrow and gave him a grin. "You know she's right Broots. The Centre wouldn't dare come near her if she's with Ms. Parker."

   Broots nodded. "All Right." He smiled sheepishly at Ms. Parker. "Thanks."

   "Don't mention it." She narrowed her eyes. "Ever."

   Sydney laughed and they all left, trying fruitlessly to act as though the things they saw and heard in the T-board room, both from past and present, never happened.

11:01 AM

Blue Cove, Delaware

The Centre

SL 26, holding block 14

Elf 17 kicked the locked metal door in agitated frustration.

   _That psychotic, demented, scientist from Hell! He's lucky that I didn't transform and slash open that oxygen tube he sucks on._ She paused in her raging. _Or, seeing as I would have had sweepers on me in seconds, perhaps _I'm_ the lucky one. _She sighed and slumped to the floor. _Ah well, what's done is done. _Then she brightened. _It all worked out for the best in the end though didn't it? After all, I get to see what the outside world's like now.  And I'll have company! _Her elfin-like ears drooped. _Though I'm not really sure if that's a good thing or not. Poor Broots. I forgot about him having a daughter. _

   Her ears detected the sound of expensive and over-polished shoes coming squeakily down the hall. She sprung away from the door and after jumping on her bed, feigned drowsiness, resisting the urge to attack the man that was coming in the door.

   "Get up Elf 17." Raines ordered. Two sweepers flanked him. One of them was Willie.

   Elf 17 raised her eyes up at Raines slowly, and then seemed to grudgingly roll off the cot and land on her feet. She stood straight and tilted her head to one side. She did this, and nothing more.

   Raines snapped his fingers and the first sweeper came forward and handed her a black case. Once Elf 17 held it in her hands, she knew what it was. She moved the case to her other hand to be sure she had identified all of the contents, and upon hearing the clink of metal, she added one more item to the list.

   From what she could guess by its weight, and what she could smell inside of it, it was packed full of clothing, a First Aid Kit, hygienic supplies, cash, a cell phone, and, (probably for the pretender she was hunting), a pair of manacles.

   She looked at Raines and blinked, awaiting the instructions she was sure she'd receive. 

   "You and Mr. Broots will be boarding the Centre jet in ten minutes…. Broots has gotten a lead on Jarod and you'll be flying to Utah to check out what is sure to be an empty lair… Based on what you find there, you will take over and begin the real search. The jet will leave right after you get off so you'll be using the money inside the briefcase for transportation expenses." He took in some ragged breaths. "You **_will_** find Jarod and you **_will _**bring him back, or you will suffer the reprimands…I trust I am making myself clear?"

   Elf 17 gave him a smile that was as false as her reasons for bringing Broots. "Crystal sir. Crystal."

  Raines nodded and then actually patted her head. Elf 17 suppressed the instinctual reaction to flinch under his touch, and stayed perfectly still. "Good." He said, and then just as unexpectedly as he'd come, he left, leaving Elf 17 to consider washing her hair fifty times.

11:12 AM   

Blue Cove, Delaware

Indeterminable Location

Inside The Centre Jet

The take-off had been rather unexciting. There'd been no fanfare, no people to wave the two off, no kind parting words of any kind. Then again, this was the Centre. Elf 17 would have been worried if she saw any of that stuff. She was perfectly content with the few stony-faced sweepers who had led them to the jet, though she cold have sworn she saw Willie give a brief smile and a wink. 

   The jet was small, but not compact and claustrophobic in any way. It was comfortably and simply designed and was only made for four passengers. The seats were soft and a cream colored vinyl, and there was lots of legroom.

   When the jet had taken off Elf 17 had been worried that Broots would still be angry with her for requesting that he be brought. Her logic had told her that he wouldn't, but people were so unpredictable that you could never really tell. Her logic had indeed been right in the end. Broots was unhappy at leaving Debbie behind, but he in no way blamed Elf 17. Much to her relief.

   After about two hours in the air, Broots, getting rather bored, had tried to engage Elf 17 in conversation. Before he could get even two words out though, Elf 17 shook her head gently, and softly put a finger to her lips. Using a notepad and pen that had been in a storage box under her seat, she quickly wrote him a brief message:

**I don't mean to be rude, but since we are traveling on a Centre plane that is most likely bugged, I really don't want to give the Centre any more information than absolutely necessary. Please don't be mad.**

After reading it Broots quickly wrote back:

**It's OK. I Understand.**

Elf 17 had smiled at him with happiness and the two had been silent the rest of the trip.

12:15 PM (Time Change Will Now Apply) 

Cedarville, Utah

Field by barn

No Specified Position

Elf 17 picked up the large briefcase she'd been given, her ears seemingly trying to fold in on themselves. She cringed at the loud, roaring, and almost deafening thunder from the jet as it took off once more.

   Broots watched her pained expression in confusion as he slung his backpack over his back, holding his laptops' carrying case in his hand. _What's wrong with her?_ So far she was a mystery to him. She had seemed to have almost no life in the T-board room, and had even seemed vicious. And, with the exception of her brief outburst, she hadn't really even seemed…human.

   After her face muscles had relaxed and her ears had moved straightened, he cleared his throat.

   "Hey, uh, um…"

   "Elf 17." 

   He raised his eyebrows. "Elf 17? That's your name?"

   She nodded. 

   He shook his head. "Weird. Anyways, I was just wondering if you were all right. You looked as though you were in pain."

   "It's just that, with having heightened senses, I also have delicate hearing. What you heard when the jet took off, and what I heard when the jet took off, was like a mewing kitten compared to a roaring tiger."

   "That bad huh?"

   She laughed. "Worse actually. But I guess we better start checking out his last residence hmm?"

   Broots gave a solemn nod. "Yeah I…I guess so."

   The two figures walked steadily across the tall grass towards the clearly falling-apart barn. Once they'd entered they saw exactly what they'd expected to see; an empty room.

   There was old and molded hay on the ground, except for in the loft where fresh hay was piled into what vaguely resemble a bed. There was a table in the center of the barn, with a TV on it that had somehow been rigged to run without being plugged in. Hooked up to the TV was a VCR, and inside it was a tape.

   Broots pushed play on the video player, and then turned on the TV.

   A handsome, dark-haired man came on the screen. Age-wise he looked about forty, but Elf 17 clearly saw a boy of six in his dark brown and sparkling eyes. He wore a smile, and a cowboy hat and flannel shirt.

   "Howdy!" he said, waving enthusiastically. "Sorry that ya'll are too late to come and see me, but my work here was done and I thought it best to get a move on." He winked. "Though I am mighty sorry 'bout not being able to see you Ms. Parker, I hope you understand my reasons." He took on an exaggerated look of pity. "But, just to help ya'll out, I have three clues to give you about where I'll be next. One's in the box under the hay in the loft." He tipped his hat. "Now if ya'll excuse me, I need to go west and see the stars." He gave a boyish grin that made Elf 17 smile before his image blinked out.

   Broots had left before the message had fully finished and was now climbing down from the loft with a tiny box in his hand.

   Elf 17 joined him and they opened the box. 

   Inside, along with three paper cows that had Broots, Sydney, and Ms. Parkers' faces on them, and that were branded by a red C that apparently stood for the Centre, there was a tiny plastic Monopoly hotel.

   Broots laughed as he saw how strange Ms. Parker's face looked on the body of a cow. "It's a good thing that Ms. Parker wasn't here to see this. Otherwise when Jarod was caught there wouldn't be enough left of him to bring in."

   Though Elf 17 thought that the Pretender's portrayal of the Centre employees was creative, she was far more interested by the tiny plastic piece. "It looks vaguely like a hotel. Though how he made one so small without the right tools…"

   Broots chuckled. "It's from a board game. He probably just took it from that."

   "Oh."

   Broots looked expectantly at her. "So where did he say the other clues were?"

   Elf 17 looked at him in bewilderment. "What do you mean?"

   "I mean where did he hide the other clues?"

   "He didn't hide any other clues."

   Broots was puzzled. "But he said he'd give us three clues."

   "He did." 

   "Well where are they?!" Broots yelled in exasperation.

   "They weren't hidden. Right before the tape ended he said he needed to 'go west and see the stars'. Those were the two clues."  

   "Oh."

   Elf 17's analytical and pretender mind began warming into its element. "Well, go west is easily known but there are at least four other states in the western direction. There's Oregon, Nevada, Arizona, California…"

   Broots abruptly started laughing. He laughed and laughed almost until tears came out of the corners of his eyes.

   Elf 17 became scared. She wasn't sure how to react. Extreme anger, sorrow, and even psychotic behavior she had been taught to deal with. But extreme joy? That was a new one.

   Broots calmed down and smiled. "I get the piece's clue now. 'Hotel California'." She gave him a blank look. "It's a song. One of my personal favorite songs actually."

   "Oh, I see. He anticipated his last residence would be found and that the regular pursuit team would be coming to check it out so he gave a clue that only a certain member from that team could understand. Cute."

   Broots was amazed at how she could take such a funny idea and compact it into psychiatric terms. _I have a feeling Sydney would like her._

   Elf 17 didn't take notice of his awed look and continued on thinking aloud. "So he's gone to California. But **_where_** in California I don't know. He said he was going to see the stars and an entire side of California is on the coastline so I can't imagine him meaning starfish…" 

   Broots snapped his fingers. "I know! Hollywood."

   "What do burning balls of gas have to do with Hollywood?" 

   Broots sighed. He was going to need to work on her. "No. Hollywood is famous for their movies and actors. Actors and Actresses are commonly referred to as stars."

   "Ah. Sorry I um, don't get out much."  She said, a bit embarrassed.

   "Nobody who has the misfortune of being in the Centre **_does_**." Broots grumbled in anger.

   The two did a round up search for items that Jarod may have left behind, but, of course, the search was fruitless.

6:00 PM

Los Angelus, California

Hollywood

Abandoned Parking Garage Basement

Jarod smiled as he pulled the handmade blankets (he'd been given them on his last pretend by a woman and her husband he'd helped) over his tired and fatigued body.

   The last pretend had taken awhile, but it had been because he'd loved the place so much. That quiet city in Utah had been the hardest place to leave. Everything about that area had been clean and…pure. Even the trouble he'd gone down to investigate had turned out to be a harmless mix-up. He'd enjoyed the wilderness, the grass the trees, the flowers, and he'd especially enjoyed the clean air that had been filled with the scent of life. The people had been so kind. They lived so close together in such a small area that they all knew each other and were all neighborly and friendly. If ever he got tired of playing games with the Centre and decided to settle down, he might just consider going to Utah.

   As he drifted to sleep, his mind filled with memories from the place of beauty he'd just come back from, he had no idea that soon, very soon, the game he played, was about to turn on him. And in the worst possible way…

************************************************************************************

Nice, ominous feel to the ending huh? What can I say I'm a sucker for that sort of stuff. But hey, why take my opinion? Tell me your own! (hint, hint, wink, wink) Pease! I **_need _**feedback! To coin a phrase that I've twisted a bit, "Help me Fan fiction readers, you're my only hope." 

                                                                               ----**ShadowElfBard**


	3. Utah

Disclaimer: I don't own it. Not even in my dreams. I can have my entire room decorated with Pretender posters and such, but I'll never own it. (Yes I do have my room decorated with Pretender posters. Hey, I may be a hopeless Pretender fanatic, but I'm a hopeless Pretender fanatic with **_style._**)

Summary: You know what's going on if you've been following the story. In this chapter, the journey of Elf 17 and Broots will finally begin, and both will realize that it's not going to be as easy as they thought it was…

Rating: PG or PG-13 for a few cusswords.

Feedback: (Shadow Elf stands in front of crowd of poor peasants that have assembled in the town's center) I welcome you poor townspeople and thank you for coming to take time off from working for your meager restitution to hear my story. But before we get started I need to tell you about what my food, my air, my very life is composed of. It's a wonderful thing called feedback! (as Shadow Elf rambles on peasants begin to lick their lips and whisper excitedly at the thought of 'food'.) …So, now that I have explained why I need feedback so much…(she pauses as she hears two people whispering in front of her.)

   Peasant one: I'm hungry.

   Peasant two: Me too.

   Peasant one: Lets eat her.

(Shadow Elf mentally curses herself as crowd advances on her.) _I _knew_ there was a reason that there were no other bards in town…_

Author's Note: Love the Feedback given to me and I am very surprised that there are actually people who want me to continue writing. Well how about that? Oh, and as to Elf 17's decisions about the Centre and Broots' role in helping her make it, well, it's a long way to Los Angelus, and there's much in this world that can change one's mind…

                                                           To the Story!!!!   

**********************************ShadowElfBard*************************************

10:00 PM

Cedarville, Utah

Mountain filled area

Elf 17 and Broots' campsite

Broots and Elf 17 had decided that for the night, they would stay in Utah before beginning their travel towards Los Angelus in the morning. Broots had wanted desperately to rent a hotel room but had finally agreed with Elf 17 that it might be best just to camp out. Elf 17 had created a shelter of sticks and carefully placed stones for support, and Broots had brought out the air mattress that he'd packed in case of emergency. The shelter was large enough to fir the both of them, but Elf 17 had refused and said that she'd rather sleep outside. Broots had grumbled a bit about her decision, still seeing her as a teenager and worrying for her safety, but she'd finally made him remember that she was better equipped than most teenagers.

   But it had been the conversation they'd had earlier that worried her and that had caused her to sit out where she was now on the branch of a tree, gazing into oblivion. They had begun chatting about Jarod an their plans for finding him and such, when Broots had asked her a question that had caught her off guard.

   "Elf 17, you're states and states away from the Centre, we aren't being followed, and there's absolutely nothing to hold you back. Why don't you just run from the Centre? Leave like Jarod did."

   "Why would I want to?" She'd responded in complete surprise.

   Broots' eyes widened. "You mean you don't want to leave the Centre?"

   Elf 17 shook her head. "I have no reason to. Sure he Centre isn't all that wonderful a place and I absolutely loathe Raines, but I'm an orphan. I have no parents and no ties to the outside world. I have absolutely no reason to want to join it, and, from what I've seen and felt in sims, the outside world isn't all that great a place anyhow."

   Broots had looked at her like she had grown a second head and then had realized that it was probably no use. He knew nothing about this girl and her past, and in a strange way, what she had said made sense. 

   They'd both said goodnight and Elf 17 had set up a campfire while Broots went in the shelter to sleep.   

   But little did Broots know that his question had prevented Elf 17 from even thinking of sleep. She was puzzled by the question he'd asked and curious as to her own answer. Would she really want to live her entire life at the Centre? Or would she ever want to experience the normal world and live, actually live, like the people there do? Would she ever get another chance to decide?

   She sighed and then tensed her well-trained muscles when she heard the almost silent sound of footsteps. She counted the footsteps ,measured the intervals of time between each one, and the sound that they made. It was then she realized with sudden horror that it wasn't a human, but, (judging by the region that she and Broots' were in),  a cougar.

   She cursed under her breath and then scanned the area with her eyes. _Thank whoever's up there that I have nocturnal sight._

   She saw the cougar about three yards off by the edge of the trees. It was a young adult, male, and it definitely looked as though it had claimed this area as territory without much trouble, because there were only two small signs of battle on its gray-brown fur. It had its head lowered and was stalking methodically towards the shelter that Broots was sleeping in. It hardly even noticed the campfire, which Elf 17 had known wouldn't deter it. Elf 17 winced though, as she realized that though the cougar was strong, it seemed to have been having trouble finding food, for its belly was rather thin. The bad thing was that because it was now so hungry to even **_consider _**attacking a human, she was going to have a much harder time scaring it off. _Oh well, duty calls._

   She leapt down from her branch and landed in a crouch, purposely letting her body's weight make a **_thud_** on the hard dirt ground. The cougar whipped its head around at stared at her with spliced yellow eyes. Elf 17 transformed and stared back with her own. 

   Elf 17 knew that it would be even more dangerous to let Broots continue sleeping, so, as the cougar was wondering what to do about her,(obviously confused by how like other cats she smelled), she moved carefully in front of the shelter, never once turning her back on the cougar.

   "Broots!" She loudly whispered.

   "Huh?" Came a sleepy reply. There was a loud yawn and he poked his head out slowly, still half-asleep. "What is it? Is it time to g-" He snapped awake as he saw the cougar. "S--t" He cursed in surprise.

   Elf 17 nodded her head in agreement. "Look, this cougar's hungry enough that he's going to try and attack us both very soon. I am going to attack it--"

   "Whoa! Hold up! What small match will you be against a cougar?"

   She looked back at him with a sad, world-weary smile. "A lot more than you know."

   He stared at her for a second and when he realized she was telling the truth, he became very frightened. "Um…okay. What do I do?"

   "I need to know Broots, did you bring any sort of protection?"

   His eyes widened comically. "What?!"

   "You know, weapons?"

   He calmed down considerably. "Oh. Um, well, yeah I brought a gun. Not one of the fancy new guns though." He looked at the floor in embarrassment. "Actually its practically an antique musket. With gunpowder and everything."

   Her eyes twinkled in the firelight. "Perfect. Now, do exactly what I say…"

   After she'd told him what to do and she was sure he had his backpack on, she leapt at the cougar. The cougar was caught off guard for a moment, but then gave an almost war-like cry and moved to meet her attack. Elf 17 saw the cougar in mid leap and ducked and rolled to dodge it. The cougar landed on his paws and turned in one fluid motion, lowering its head and giving a deep-throated growl. Elf 17 was swept up in the transformation and she bared her teeth and gave a growl just as menacing. Her nails, (which were really more claw than nail), were outstretched and ready. 

   The cougar crouched and leaped again, with all its power and might, and she was knocked to the ground with it on top of her. It had its paws on her shoulders and its claws were imbedded in her flesh. Its back legs were on the ground luckily, but that was not what Elf 17 was trying to avoid. She had both arms raised and pressing into the cougar's neck as it tried to close its jaws around her throat. The cougar wasn't even coming close though, thanks to Elf 17's enhanced muscular power. It became agitated and lifted a paw to bat away her arm, but Elf 17 moved just as quickly and blocked it.    

   Elf 17 had come into the fight just wanting to keep the cougar at bay and not actually harm it, but that was quickly fading as an option. She held back a tear as her eyes began to water. _Forgive me._

She brought her knee up in a swift, hard motion and caught the cougar in the underbelly. She had aimed for a bone and gotten it, dead center. She had gotten it so well that it was now probably bruised. The cougar howled and jumped off of her and she stood and then without wasting time, sent a kick to its head. The cougar took a few steps back, dazed, and didn't even realize Elf 17 was moving until she had leapt upon the cougars back and had dug her own claws into its shoulders. The cougar roared in pain and fury and then tried to throw her off. It purposely fell onto the ground and arched its back, and Elf 17 released her hold to prepare against its next attack.

Broots was sitting on the lower branch of the tree Elf 17 had told him to climb, and was furiously putting together the 'weapon' she'd given him instructions on. He took out a handful of gunpowder, and then poured it onto the piece of computer paper he'd gotten out. He rolled the paper so that it vaguely resembled a large and oversized joint, and then, saying a prayer with his eyes closed, brought back his arm and flung the package towards the flames of the campfire.

Elf 17 and the cougar had just been circling each other by the fire, both wounded by the other and losing blood. But neither cared. Elf 17 had just sadly and reluctantly made a decision to end this battle, since it seemed that Broots wasn't able to carry out his task, when the campfire exploded.

   The cougar jumped straight into the air with a howl of fear and then ran off as fast as it could from the campsite.

   Elf 17 gave a choked sob of happiness, happy that she wouldn't have to kill the cougar, that the innocent blood wouldn't be on her hands, and she silently thanked Broots. Then she unwillingly collapsed on the ground, and let her fatigued muscles rest as sleep claimed her as its own…

7:30 AM

Cedarville, Utah

Mountain Filled Area

Elf 17 and Broots' Campsite

Elf 17 blinked one, twice and finally three times to clear her vision. She'd dreamed last night, which didn't happen very often, and for once it hadn't been a nightmare. In the dream it had been sunny and she'd been by a river and she'd jumped in, feeling the cool water rush over her. Then she'd laid in the dry green grass and let the warmth of the sun wrap around her. Oh it had been bliss…

   She sat up suddenly, though the movement made her bandaged shoulders scream in pain. _I must have pulled at least ten muscles last night._

   She suddenly realized that her top half wore no clothing except for a bra. Her eyes widened in alarm. She rolled off of the air mattress she was on and grabbed her gray Centre shirt that was on the ground beside the bed. She was about to pull it on, when she noticed that her wounds from last night had been bandaged. 

   There were small bandages for the tiny cuts she'd received from the various twigs and rocks on the ground, and there was first-aid tape over gauze and thick bandages protecting the skin that had been broken open by the cougar's claws. She winced and realized that many of the gashes had also been treated with iodine. It was the proper way to bandage of course, but that didn't stop the sharp, stinging of the iodine.

   She carefully pulled on the shirt and then stood up and limped her way over to the door of the shelter. When she went outside she saw Broots, packing up the stuff. He'd doused the campfire last night and was right now preparing all of their stuff to leave.

   She called out to him. "Morning Broots!"

   He jumped as though Ms. Parker had called him, and then realized that it was only Elf 17.

   "Oh," he said in relief. "Good morning." His face suddenly flushed red. "Oh, uh, about last night I only--"

   "Yeah. I never knew that you knew how to treat wounds so well." She praised him smiling, her green eyes mirroring her mirth.

   "Well, when you have a daughter you try to learn everything you can. But what I'm trying to say is that in order to tend your wounds I had to…um…well."

   "Its okay. I understand."

   He let out a deep breath. "Thanks. I'm sorry."

   "Don't be. If you hadn't bandaged them they could have become infected or let in a large number of bacteria and germs that could have seriously damaged my system." She smiled. "By the way, good timing with the weapon you made." Her voice softened. " I was afraid that I'd have to kill him. He didn't come back last night did he?"

   "The cougar? Nope. He didn't show at all."

   She let out her own sigh of relief. "That's good. Here, let me help you with this stuff. "

   The two took apart the shelter and packed up all their supplies. They were going to have to walk to town and check out a car rental. 

   Luckily though, the two ended up hitching a ride in the back of a pickup that had kindly stopped and offered them a ride in the direction. After they were dropped off they asked around and finally found a small but adequate rental place.

8:15 AM 

Cedarville, Utah

Middle of Town

Jerry's Car, Truck, Jeep, and ATV(All Terrain Vehicle)Rental.

"Well howdy there, what can I do for you?" a slightly overweight man in classic western dress asked the two in an exaggerated cowboy accent.

   "We would like to rent a vehicle for approximately one week. We need one already filled with gas and that has not had repairs done within the past two days. If possible one with only three to four thousand miles on it. It needs to be new but at least have been driven five to six times. Oh, and we are not picky about the manufacturer but a Volvo, Ford, or any brand of jeep will do us just fine." Elf 17 paused and thought for a moment. "Oh, please." She smiled.

   The man had his mouth agape and Broots was suddenly very interested in a dumpster across the street. 

   "Well I'll be run over by a monster truck, you sure have raised your daughter well sir!" Jerry said, completely forgetting his fake accent that he kept up for the tourists, which these two undoubtedly were. The girl's gray, almost prison-like clothing was very strange, and her father was almost definitely a computer geek. You didn't find to many of them in Utah, no sir.

   Broots jumped at the man's assumption. "She'd not my--" He began.

  But a gentle elbowing from Elf 17 steered him off of that track.

   "Uh, I mean thanks." He finished lamely.

   The man quirked an eyebrow but didn't comment. He turned his attention to the girl. "Well you've definitely narrowed the selection down a bit. I think I might have something for you."

   He led them around back and showed them a sparkling red jeep. Elf 17 nodded in approval after scrutinizing the Jeep. 

   "How much?"

   "For a week?" He pretended to look at her with narrowed eyes, as if it were hard to decide. "Well, little lady, I guess I could let you have her for…" His eyes gleamed. "One hundred?"  

   Broots suppressed a gasp. That was cheap!

   Elf 17 had also been expecting more. "Thank you!" 

   The man beamed at her. _That man sure is lucky to have such a fine daughter…_

   They went inside and signed the papers and though Jerry sputtered a bit when he was handed a  crisp hundred-dollar bill, along with a thousand extra in cash to insure they returned the vehicle, he didn't comment.

   But after the two had driven away and he'd he waved them goodbye,  he went inside and decided that he really needed a drink.

10:33 AM 

Utah

Nearing Border Line 

Indeterminable Position On Road   

"That Jerry was very nice." Elf 17 commented casually, the wind whipping back the black hair that she'd washed in the river that morning. Because of her wounds and bandages she wouldn't be able to bathe or shower for at least another day, but she had been able to wash her hair in the water.

   "I think it had something to do with the thousand one hundred you gave him in cash," Broots muttered. 

   Elf 17 just laughed. 

   "So," Broots said, starting a conversation to try and ignore how much she reminded him of his fourteen-year-old daughter. "How are you treated at the uh, Centre." Upon hearing silence he added quickly, "you don't have to tell me if you don't want to though."

   "No," she said finally, "it's okay." She seemed lost in her own thoughts for a moment. "Well, the room isn't all that great, but I'm glad it has an air vent in it. Angelo comes to visit me a lot and I look forward to it every time. He's sweet and though I pity him so much, I sometimes envy him."

   Broots' nearly swerved the jeep off of the road. "Envy him?! How could you envy him?!"

   She then answered quite calmly and simply, "his ignorance. No one takes notice of him for it, he isn't considered a threat, and even though his mind is so screwed up that if he were offered freedom he'd hide in the vents cringing in terror, he is able to be kind, and nice and friendly and thoughtful and…and help people." She finished the last part in a quiet voice filled with a sweet sadness that Broots' had never seen before.

   "I-I'm sure you help people," He lied. Actually, he had no idea if she could or not, but for some reason her sorrow and longing pained him unlike anything he'd ever felt. 

   She gave a small laugh. "Thank you Broots, but I know the truth. And I am sorry that my sadness hurts you so much." She bit her lip. "If you want I will gladly change the subject." 

   "No, no it's okay." He stared at the road. "How did you know that your…your feelings of sadness hurt me?"

   Her eyes turned to him and she wore such a blank expression that he was taken aback.

   "I smelled it."

   "Oh." Was all he could say in response.

   They drove on in silence and three hours later, they had entered Las Vegas Nevada. 

1:34 PM (Eastern Time)

Blue Cove, Delaware

The Centre

Sydney's Office

"Syd?" came a voice that Sydney recognized instantly.

    "Yes Ms. Parker?"

    She entered in her short, professional, but stylish black suit. "I was wondering if you'd heard anything on Broots and the…girl, he went with."

   Sydney raised his eyes from the papers he'd been going over. He gave a small look of awe. "Are you…are you worried Ms. Parker?"

   Her eyes flashed with sudden fire. "Of course not! It's just that the sooner that the lab rat is dragged in and thrown in his cell, the sooner I can leave this hellhole, and I want to know how soon he'll be coming back so I can pack up and go."

   "Well I'm sorry but I don't have any news."

   Ms. Parker stood still for a moment and then nodded in understanding. "All right.' She turned and started to leave his office but Sydney's voice stopped her.

   "Ms. Parker!" She turned around and Sydney gave her a smile. "I'm worried too."

   Ms. Parker looked at the ground for a moment and then back at him, trying futilely to hold back the tears that were brimming in her eyes. "Thanks Sydney."

   "Your welcome Ms. Parker."

************************************************************************************

And so ends chapter three. Oooh, maybe the ice queen isn't as evil as we all thought hmm?

   Well, anyhow, the next chapter will be appearing soon and perhaps there'll be some fun to be had in Vegas. You never know…

    I'm afraid I have to get back to traveling the kingdom and spreading my tales. Hopefully my next crowd won't be as hungry. [ShadowElf winks and travels down the road off into the sunset…]

   P.S: Feedback is wanted, desired, and all around LOVED!!!   


	4. Nevada

Disclaimer:  It's not mine I swear! It's uh, it's, it's a friends. I'm just uh, holding it for him. Yeah that's it. Hey, I told you it's not mine!

Rating: This one's a PG.(Gives a sympathetic look) Sorry psychotic and sadistic weirdo people that love gore, loads of cusswords, and violence.  

Summary: Same as the first one. In this chapter Elf 17 begins to discover what a life beyond the Centre might actually feel like…

Feedback: [ShadowElf is in strange new land and there are tall buildings everywhere and lots of noise and confusion as Japanese people run around screaming in terror] Hey excuse me! Hey excu-- Whoa Slow down! Watch it buddy! Yeeesh. I come to tell a story and ask for feedback and I end up fighting my way through a throng of people. Man, and I though Tokyo would be a good place to beg for the feedback that keep me alive. Ah well. [hangs head and starts walking forward, bumps into something hard…and scaly] Hey watch where you're…[Godzilla roars and ShadowElf's face is drained of color] ( In fake Taco Bell Chihuahua accent) I think I need a bigger story.

***************************************ShadowElf*************************************

7:00 AM

Las Vegas, Nevada 

Pot Of Gold Hotel

Room 717            

Broots groaned and rolled over, trying to ignore the cheerful, wide-awake voice that was joyfully pulling him from slumber in a light and merry voice.

   "Morning Broots! We only had lunch and dinner yesterday, so I thought we might try out this Hotel's complimentary breakfast. You won't **_believe_** it. There are these things called donuts right… " and she rambled on, oblivious to his obvious irritation at being woken up from his peaceful sleep. 

    Elf 17 was experiencing her second sugar rush in seven **_years_**. She had consumed over five double chocolate, chocolate crème filled, chocolate glazed donuts with chocolate icing. And it went downhill from there. She'd been raised on meat, various wheat grasses and soy mixtures, along with vegetables of every kind, and fat free milk and water, that and a vitamin once a day. 

   She had only tasted sugar **_once _**before. It had happened when Raines had had to leave their secret sim lab early and he'd left his coffee and its creams and sugar packets on the table. Out of childish curiosity, (she'd been seven at the time), she'd read the sugar packet's label and then swallowed all of it. By the time Raines had come back, half of the lab had been destroyed, and she had been sitting on top of the large plastic sim bubble, trying to swing back and forth on the ropes, giggling hysterically.   

   Raines had then become so frightened that he'd had her sedated. It had been on that day that Raines and the sweepers had found out she had ADHD. (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). In other words, she could get really, really, really hyper, really, really, really easily. 24/7. Nonstop. It was also on that day that Raines vowed never **_ever_** to let her come within five feet of a sugar substance of any kind.

   Unfortunately for Broots, the dear 'doctor' had forgotten about that once he'd sent her after Jarod.  

   Elf 17 had finished talking to the sleepy form of Broots and was now jumping up and down on her own bed. The room they'd rented was very nice. It had been expensive also and Elf 17 had worried about the cost, but Broots had told her that if she had the money, she should spend it. She'd even caught the barely coherent words he'd mumbled about the Centre owing it to them. Yeah right, like the Centre would ever owe **_them_** anything.

   Elf 17 crouched on the bed and then sprung across the nine feet that separated the two beds and landed, not very softly mind you, on Broots' stomach.         

   His eyes shot open and he bit his lip to keep a very, un-Broots-like stream of cusswords from escaping his mouth.

   Elf 17 rolled off of him, still on the bed, and began rocking back and forth on her back with her arms and legs positioned as a dog might have them when exposing its belly for a rub. Apparently the sugar-high affected her animal side as well. 

   She had her eyes closed for a few minutes and Broots took the opportunity to slip off of the bed and go change. He sure as heck wasn't going back to sleep now. With a teenage daughter of his own, Broots recognized the signs of a sugar rush. He also had no idea how dangerous one might be for a pretender and didn't want to find out. _At least it seems that her wounds are healed._ He thought grumpily.

   When he'd emerged from the bathroom he'd changed in, fully dressed in a bright tropical shirt and kaki pants, he saw Elf 17 sitting and looking very civilized on the end of her bed.

   "Wow." He said. " I never knew a sugar rush to dissipate so quickly." 

   She gave him a small grin. "I'm sorry Broots. Actually, ever since I had a little…episode with Mr. Raines and sugar, he's taught me ways to deal with it should I ever be exposed to it again."

   Broots did something he never thought he'd do and silently thanked Mr. Raines.

   He cleared his throat. "So. Umm, I'm guessing that because of all those donuts you told me about, you're not hungry?"

   "I'm afraid not."

   "Oh. Good. Because when you landed on my stomach I sort of lost my appetite for a big breakfast."

    "Sorry."

   "No, it's alright. I'll just go to the Quick Mart across the street and buy some Pop-Tarts."

   Elf 17 stood up. "Pop-Tarts?"

   Broots did a double take. "Wait, you mean you've never had," he slapped his forehead. "Well, duh! Of course you couldn't have had Pop-Tarts at the Centre." He looked at her curiously. _Wait a minute. She probably has hardly done _anything_ thanks to the Centre. Maybe I could…_

   "Hey, Elf 17?"

   She turned from the large window she'd been looking out of. "Yeah?"

   He gave her a goofy grin. "How would you like to see what Vegas is like?"

   She raised an eyebrow.

8:39 AM  
Las Vegas, Nevada

Make-over Mall

Cindy's Fashion Central

"Broots are you crazy?" Elf 17 asked, looking through the window of the large clothing store. He'd told her to get washed and they'd drove down to this huge strip mall about a mile away from the hotel. It was unlike anything Elf 17 had ever seen before. There were lots and lots of people, all different colors, shapes, and sizes, and they wore bright clothing, dark clothing, and some had on hardly any clothing at all. There were animals on leashes, and even a street show where some teens were break-dancing for money from the crowd. This place was **_wild._** And, Elf 17 had to admit, she was enjoying herself. But when Broots had taken her to the clothing store and his intentions were made known, she had to stop him. 

   "Come on Broots, shopping? For clothes? Me?" this place was definitely expensive and the clothes inside were all so…so small. "I doubt I can even fit into these things. That shirt has a waist that even Ms. Parker would have to go on a diet for."

   Broots laughed. "This store is only for teens. Debbie goes to a place like this all the time. You have to try and act your age for once. And believe me, you'll fit into them."

   She sighed. "Okay. I'll try it."

   They entered the store and were immediately accosted by a perky blonde in a halter-top, skirt and boots. The scary thing was that she looked like a miniature Bridgett.

   "Morning!" she said cheerily. " And how can I help you two?" She looked at Elf 17 and saw her Centre clothing. "Oh I see." She said, shaking her head like a doctor when they've found out their patient has an illness. "I see indeed." She turned to the back of the store. "Hey, Sky!"

   Elf 17's heart skipped a beat when she him. He was tall, with fair skin, a smooth chin, and predominant cheekbones, peroxide blond hair in short spikes, and icy blue eyes that seemed to bore into her soul. He wore a black jacket with a red shirt and black pants.

   "Yeah?" he asked in a British accent.

   "This girl needs some clothes, pronto," Cindy said, gesturing towards Elf 17. "Take her to the back and show her some things."

   "Sure love." 

   Elf 17 followed him as though she were in a daze. She'd never felt his way before. Not ever. She felt like purring she was so content. 

   Broots noticed how she was acting and hoped that no animal instincts of her's would cause her to do anything foolish. But he also knew that she was a pretender, a thumping good one from what he'd seen, and she should be fine.

   Sky talked to her and showed her different outfits, making jokes and beaming when she laughed at them. _Damn, this girl's beautiful._ He thought appraisingly as he looked at her emerald eyes, soft white skin and ebony black hair. Her rose red lips were practically begging to be kissed.

_    He sure has a nice smile._ Elf 17 thought and flashed him one of her own. Her body yearned to hold him, to kiss him, but she also knew that part of that was her animal side. The other half was, well, the other half was a girl who hadn't seen a male human her age in ten years. Not since Raines had brought in the other kids for testing…. She shook her head, trying to steer her thoughts away from those memories. They weren't nice to remember.

   Finally Sky had finished looking through some clothes when an image of her in a certain outfit mind his grin widen. He pulled out the clothes and handed them to her. 

   "Here, try these on."

   "What?!" She laughed. "Are you sure it's legal to wear these in public?"

He laughed in response. "Oh come on, they're not that bad. Please love?"      

   She looked over at Broots and he just raised his hands helplessly.

   She sighed and went in the dressing room to change into them.

   She came out and bit her lip, expecting to be laughed at. Instead, all she received was an awed silence.

   She wore a tight, black, low cut black shirt of leather, that exposed her thin, slightly muscular stomach and that was sleeveless. The pants she wore were also black and were hip huggers. She opened her eyes and the two men were taken back at how bright and alive her emerald eyes were when contrasted against the deep black clothes. They seemed to shine with radiance. Every flush of color on her beautiful face shone brilliantly and Broots was already digging out the money to pay for the outfit.

   He handed the cash to Sky with a shaky hand, still unable to look away. "W-w-we'll t-take it." he stuttered. Sky gave a nod but still stared at her like a zombie.

   After she and the man who Sky guessed to be her father had left, he sighed to himself. _I wish I could have found out her name._

Cindy walked over to his side and looked out at the door he that he still hadn't taken his eyes off of.

   "Hey, did you notice that that girl had elf ears?"

9:00 AM

Los Vegas, Nevada

Quickie Mart 

Snack Food Aisle

Broots eagerly sucked in the intoxicating aroma of the coffee he'd filled over at the store's inside stand. He'd come in just for his Pop-Tarts and had been seduced by the smell of java. He'd originally planned on just buying Elf 17 a package of Pop-tarts to try out, but had then realized that, like 

Jarod had when he'd first entered the real world, she'd have to find her own tastes.

   _And addictions. _He chuckled softly to himself, reminded of Jarod's constant PEZ craving's.

   He approached Elf 17 in the snack aisle and saw her quietly deliberating over the large array of chip bags in front of her. 

   She had read the ingredients of each one, and had given up on trying to pick one that had anything remotely healthy in it. Broots had told her earlier that when picking junk food, the point was not to find the healthiest thing, but the best-tasting thing. She couldn't understand though, how any of these, these chemically created, food-colored, artificially preserved, pathetic excuses for food could even be considered as **_edible. _**Let alone good tasting.

   She heard Broots approaching and realized she had to make a choice. She scanned the shelf, her arms clasped quietly behind her back as she brooded in silence. Finally she grabbed the most colorful bag of chips and turned to hand it to Broots when he'd finally reached her.

   "Made a selection?"

   She nodded mutely and handed him the bag.

   He took and read it aloud. "Puffy Cheetos." He raised an eyebrow at her, knowing what she probably thought of the ingredients she'd undoubtedly read. "My aren't you daring."

   She gave him a smile and they checked out, trying to suppress the laughter that threatened to present itself when the clerk, a brown haired teen boy, stared at Elf 17 in unhidden yearning.

   They left and got into the jeep, Broots diving into his package of Pop-tarts and sipping his coffee, and Elf 17 timidly opening the sealed bag of Cheetos.

   She picked up one of the slightly curled snack pieces and gave it a small lick. Then her eyes brightened, and she stuffed the whole thing into her mouth and began to chew. Its flavor overwhelmed her. It was so cheesy, so deliciously crunchy. Her taste buds cried out in unhidden joy! She delved her hand into the bag and ate another, and another, each one even better tasting than the one before. Though the Cheetos were slightly sticking to her teeth and her fingertips were now yellow, she cared not. All she cared about was how fast another Cheeto could come from her hand into her waiting and watering mouth.

    Broots looked over at Elf 17 and nearly spit out the coffee he was taking a drink from.

   "Whoa! Take a moment to breathe at least!"

   Elf 17 paused and looked over at him. She looked down at the half-empty bag. She looked at her yellow-stained hands. Her face turned beet red.

   "Sorry," she mumbled while wiping off her mouth with some tissues that Broots had handed her. She rolled up the bag almost tenderly, as if not wanting to break in half a single Cheeto.

   Broots could have laughed. Jarod and his PEZ obsession had just met their match.

1:00 PM

Las Vegas, Nevada

Lady Luck Casino

Waiting Lounge

Elf 17 was quietly reading a book that she'd picked up at a bookstore that they'd stopped at on her request. The book was called, _Les Miserables_ and thought it would only tie her over for an hour or two, the book was enjoyable. She had so far only been reading it in parts though, as most of her attention had been on her own specially fashioned earpiece and mouthpiece, made from wires and such that they'd bought at a Radio Shack. 

   She had quickly discovered earlier that the hotel bill, the rental and a few of the other purchases she'd made with the Centre's money had rapidly depleted her spending funds and she'd need to get some more should they want to have somewhere to sleep and something to eat in Los Angelus. That's when Broots had told her what Las Vega was famous for, their casinos.

   Obviously, Elf 17's pretender skills and enhanced senses, (such as her ability to see things moving at a fast speed) would make gaining money from the casino very easy. However, Elf 17 had at first refused.

   "Why not?' Broots had asked, confused as to why such an easy plan wouldn't work.

   "It seems…wrong. I'd be cheating."

   "Yeah, but where else would we get it? I don't like bending the rules and Ms. Parker would probably be surprised that I'd even go so far as to suggest this. But we do need the money. "

   Elf 17 had sighed. "Yeah, I guess you're right. But still, how would I be able to help? They do have an age limit." 

   "I don't know. Truthfully, I hadn't thought about how we'd actually do it." He scratched his head. "If you had a way to communicate with me maybe but…"

  And that's when the idea of two-way communication had come up and they'd gotten the supplies at Radio Shack. Elf 17 had fashioned the earpiece and such easily, and Broots had gone into the casino they'd picked, Elf 17 deciding to stay in the lobby, because it was sweltering hot outside. Everyone who'd just entered had entered in shorts. Those who had come in this morning however, still had on pants and sweaters from when it had been chilly out, and they were now probably regretting their earlier choice.  

She'd talked him through the Black Jack table, Baccarat, Poker, and even how to pull down the lever on the slot machine, with how much pressure and at what time, to increase the odds of getting all three icons in a row.

   Broots was right now going to cash the considerable amount of chips the two had managed to get. Elf 17 estimated that they'd be leaving with about five thousand six hundred, seventy-two dollars and ninety-three cents. Give or take a few that was.

   So Elf 17 was now patiently awaiting his return as she read and half-listened to the various conversations and corny music seeping through the speakers. She was turning her four-hundredth page when a spark of conversation caught her ear. She quietly put her book down and focused on what the man was saying. 

   The man was actually one of the casino guards. He was talking to another on his two-way radio.

   "I swear I saw her come this way. She came in this morning and I tailed her on suspicion." He paused. "No, I know I saw her come in to the lobby. I was still following her after she grabbed the other lady's purse." He sighed at what he other voice was saying. "No I _didn't _get a clear view on her face. She was wearing a scarf! But--" He clenched his fists as he listened to the others voice. "I know that the person that came right by the fountain heading towards the lobby was her!" He paused again. "Yes chief. Fine, I'll go check the tables." He broke off the connection muttering to himself about pig-headed somebody's. 

   Elf 17 quietly watched him go and then set down her book. She stood up from her comfy seat on the long padded bench and after began scanning the large and spacious lobby. She looked around for about three minutes before she started to calmly walk forward to a woman who, apparently, had just walked through the door. Elf 17 waited until she'd fully entered the building before stopping right in front of her.

   The woman was very tall, about 6"2 with short brown hair that was slightly mussed and a face fully done in makeup that looked like it had been painted on by an artist. She wore an angora sweater and fancy black slacks, and had on a purse that looked two sizes two small. The purse was very packed though, and looked like it could bust and at any moment. 

   The woman raised an eyebrow at Elf 17 when she stopped in front of her.

   "Can I help you?" She asked in a slightly haughty tone.

   "No." Elf 17 replied coolly. She raised her voice slightly for her next words, hoping that the security guards looking around in the casino would be able to hear her. "Not really. But I'm sure you could help out the woman you stole that purse from by giving it back."

   The woman's eyes flared wide but she quickly narrowed them. Around her, people began to whisper. "I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about young lady. But I would appreciate it if you stepped out of my way."

   Elf 17 shook her head. "Nope." 

   The woman growled angrily and walked over to the side of Elf 17, hoping to get around her. But Elf 17 quickly maneuvered herself and was in front of the lady once again.

   This time the woman couldn't keep her temper down. "GET OUT OF MY WAY!" she shouted in fury.

   Elf 17 gave her a sly grin. "No, sorry I can't do that."

   While the woman clenched her hands into fists and seethed, two security guards, both different from the one Elf 17 had heard talking, came running forward.

   They stopped. "Is something wrong ma'am?"

   The woman pointed angrily at Elf 17. "This brat won't leave me alone!"

   They turned and looked over at Elf 17. The security guards gave her a questioning look and she shrugged.

   "I'd leave her alone if she would return the purse to the lady she stole it from." She told them, her voice never once rising from its steady, calm tone.

   The two guards looked at each other. "Did you see this woman steal another woman's purse?"

   "I did not see the crime committed officers, but she did steal it yes."  

   "I just came in! If you didn't see me steal it then on what grounds do you so wrongly accuse me of doing so?" The woman scoffed at Elf 17's answer.

   "She does have a point young lady. If you didn't see it, how could you possibly think that she's stolen it?"

   "First of all, she just lied to you. She hasn't just come in."

   "Why do you say that?"

   "Well, it's about ninety-two point four degrees Fahrenheit outside at this moment. This woman is wearing an angora sweater, and black pants and make-up. Besides that all being a very poor choice on what to wear in this heat, her make-up is still on and fine."

   "What does my make-up have to do with anything?" The woman sneered at her. 

   "Had you really been out in this heat in that outfit, your body would have begun to sweat in an effort to cool you down. You have not sweat, and despite the heavy articles of clothing you wear, your face is not heated at all. That implies that you have been somewhere cool. Somewhere like an air-conditioned casino." She paused and one of the guards gave her a curious look.

   "Go on.' He said.

   Elf 17 nodded and continued. "Plus, despite the fact that your make-up is perfectly fine, your hair is rather messed up and you look winded. Both are an implication that you've been running. That would fit if you'd been running to lose the security guard that had been following you." The woman's eyes widened but only for a second. Elf 17 continued talking but did not miss the motion. "Lastly, you are a very tall woman. Yet, the purse you wear on your shoulder is clearly too small for you. I would have guessed that such a mistake would have been noticed if you'd bought the purse and you would have exchanged it for a larger one. **_That's_** why I know you stole it."

   "That's crazy." The woman said, though her voice was shaking slightly. "If I had stole it, then why would I have come back in here?"

   "That's an easy one. You didn't steal the money just to buy things, you stole the money so you could gamble with it."

   The woman tried to turn and leave rather hastily out the door, but one of the guards grabbed her arm while the other talked on his radio.

   A few minutes later, the security guard Elf 17 had heard and a rather bedraggled looking older woman came into the lobby. The older woman nearly jumped at seeing the other woman.

   "That's my purse!" Despite her age she ran forward and snatched her purse. After pulling out a rather long scarf and throwing it onto the floor, she took out her wallet and counted the money. When she was through, she breathed a sigh of relief.

   "Oh thank goodness! It's all here." 

   The security guard Elf 17 had heard had just finished talking with the other two guards who had told him of all the evidence Elf 17 brought up against the woman. The guard looked at the scarf on the floor and recognized it immediately. He told the other two to take her into a holding room until the cops could arrive.

  The old woman thanked the guard many times and went off to play Black Jack. Elf 17 was about to leave when the guard stopped her.

   "Hey, you were reading in the lobby weren't you?"

   "Yes sir."

   He laughed. "I guess you wanted to find the thief on your own."

   Elf 17 gave a grin. "Yeah."

   "Well, good job. But can I ask you a question?" 

   "Sure."

   "How did you know that the woman would be coming back in? How did you know why she'd wanted the money?'

   Elf 17 paused for a moment, then smiled like a Cheshire cat. "It's what I would have done." Then, spotting Broots, she walked off, leaving the guard to blink in stunned silence.

7:49 PM

Las Vegas, Nevada

On Road

In Jeep

"'It's what I would've done?'" Broots asked laughing.

   "Well I couldn't say that I pretended to be her now could I?" Elf 17 returned, laughing jovially.

   The two had had dinner to celebrate their replenished money supply, and Broots had laughed all through dinner as Elf 17 retold her "heroic efforts".

   "Gosh you really surprise me Elf 17." Broots said, wishing he could have been there.

   "Thanks."

   They drove into the hotel and parked. Once they'd gotten to their room they'd taken turns going into the bathroom to brush teeth and change into nightclothes and such. Broots was in a two-piece pajama outfit. (If Ms. Parker had ever found out that they were Spiderman pajamas he'd never live it down though.) Elf 17 herself wore her Centre clothing to bed, not wanting to sleep in her new all black outfit. It was a very nice set, but it was too constricting to be sleeping in. Both, however, knew that the search for Jarod couldn't be put off any longer, and tomorrow they'd be in Los Angelus.

   Broots turned out the light and everything was quiet.

   Elf 17 silently crept to the sliding glass door of their hotel room balcony. She closed it quietly behind her and then leaped with amazing agility onto the wooden banister of their fourth floor hotel room balcony. She sat with her back against the wall in a half slouch. One foot was flat on the wood and she had her hands clasped loosely around the knee. Her other leg dangled carelessly over the edge, swinging back and forth slightly. Her head was turned and while her black hair blew recklessly in the wind, she surveyed the city and desert before her.

   The night had cooled of the heat from the afternoon and Elf 17 felt its icy chillness every time she breathed in. The city was beautiful at night. All the flashing lights, and people walking about, along with the faint hints of melodies in the distance was awe-inspiring. And past the city was the desert, with rolling sand dunes and constantly active nightlife.

   Elf 17 had seen what the real world was like today. She had walked about it and participated in it and she was…interested in what she had seen.

   It was certainly nothing like the Centre.

   She growled at herself for event thinking of that place and letting its horrors take away from the beauty of the scene she saw now. 

  Then she sighed. But, whether or not she let herself think about it, the truth was still there, hanging omnisciently in front of her.

   She had to go back.

   Sooner or later, she would have to return. There were many complicated reasons for it but the simpler ones that floated to the top of her mind was that she had of yet no true reason to leave, because even though it wasn't one of the best places she still hadn't been treated all **_that_** bad there. Though her treatment might change once she brought back Jarod.

   The other thing was Broots. She hadn't told him yet, and she wasn't sure if she ever would, but she had not brought him to help with computers or because she'd been worried about the outside world, she brought him for one simple fact. She was lonely. She didn't want to have to go alone and had wanted a friend for the trip. She now really like him and if he were to return to the Centre without her, there was no telling in what ways he'd be tortured and killed. She couldn't do that to him, and she couldn't do that to his daughter.

   The last thing that held her back, the thing she'd hoped she could turn a blind eye to, was the irritating and constant reminder that she was an orphan.

   She had no home, she had no family. She'd been turned over to an orphanage when she was one year old. Her parents had given up on her and had abandoned her, whoever they were. If she left the Centre, she'd have no place to go and would end up like Jarod. Lost, alone, confused, and constantly hunted. Believe it or not, right now staying at the Centre was the better of the two options. Her life might even get better after Jarod was brought back. The Centre's focus would most likely be on him and not her. She wouldn't be doing as many sims and such, and she'd have a piece of mind.

   Elf 17 once again let her eyes gaze over the city.

   And yet, with all of the reasons staring her straight in the face, it was moments like these that made the second choice all the more alluring. She shook her head at her own foolishness, and jumped down from the banister onto the wood of the porch, turning her back on the beautiful city and its siren calls, to go slip into the safe and slightly confining comforts of her bed. 

************************************************************************************

Ah, such a sad note to end a chapter with. I hope you're all good with metaphors. ;)

Well, let's only hope and pray that by some miracle either Jarod can outwit her or she changes her decision.

   Anyhow, I again ask the questions that only you can answer: Did you like it, love it, or hate it? Please tell me! I swear I'll keep it a secret! Look, I'm not crossing my fingers either!

                                                                                ------ShadowElfBard


	5. California

Disclaimer:  Not mine. (Short, sweet, and to the point. I like it!)

Rating:  PG

Summary: When a project that Raines has kept hidden for thirteen years is unveiled, the Centre decides to use it to their advantage…and Jarod's capture. ~~ In this chapter Elf 17 and Broots will finally arrive in Los Angelus, and Elf 17 will begin to realize that her world's no longer in shades of black and white, but a frighteningly dark gray… 

Feedback: (ShadowElf has left Tokyo in one piece and is back in her more medieval home. She has been asked to tell her story in front of the king's soldier's camp. Needing feedback, she hastily accepted) "Welcome Lad- um, gentlemen and…more gentleman. Before I get the story started I need to tell you about Feedback. Feedback is the battery that keeps me going and--

   Soldier: Just shut up wench and tell it already!

   "Wench?! I'll have you know you pig-headed, barbaric fool of a man that I-" (soldier draws his sword and holds it at her throat)

   [Laughing nervously] Heh heh, did I say barbaric and pigheaded? I meant civ-civilized and pigheaded" [sword is thrust closer] Heh, nice pointy object. ~_Damn, for a bard you think I'd know when to keep my trap shut_~ 

*****Authors Note: Thanks ever so much for all of the feedback! And to that one college person who talked to me about the relationship between Elf 17's thoughts and actions, I think you might find my answer to that in this chapter.

                                                                                                ------**ShadowElf **                                                   

**On To Chapter Five!**

1:00 PM

Route 15, California

On Road

In Jeep

Elf 17 sighed in boredom as she watched the other cars zip by. They had been driving for **_hours_. **They'd left early in the morning, packed up what little things they'd taken out, and gone. Poof. Just like that. Elf 17 had of course brought her puffy Cheetos, but they had been finished a while back and she'd already cleaned her face and hands (with a napkin though, because Broots got freaked out watching her lick it off like a cat). She had foolishly left behind her _Les Miserables_ at the casino, setting it down on the bench and forgetting it. With her pretender skills she found she knew how the book ended, but still, actually reading it would have taken at least half an hour off of this seemingly ever-lasting trip. 

   Her growing anxiety she also knew was not just boredom. She was afraid. She knew she would catch Jarod, of that there was no doubt. She'd run through the scenario nearly thirty-two different times and analyzed possible flaws and how they could be prevented and avoided. But knowing that it was going to be over so soon, that she would be returning to the Centre in barely a day's time was, for some reason, frightening to her. _Best to ignore it,_ she thought. _The time will come, and you'll have absolutely no say in it whatsoever. Just accept the truth and move on._

   Broots heard her sigh for a second time and carefully looked over at her as best he could while still keeping a watchful eye on the road.

   "Oh come on, cheer up Elf 17." He struggled to find something to be cheery about. "We'll, uh, we'll be arriving in Los Angelus soon." _Wrong thing to say Broots!_ He chided himself.

   He heard Elf 17 give a soft snort. "Wonderful. I suppose I'll then be able to look forward to dragging back a perfectly innocent man kicking and screaming to a prison he doesn't deserve to be in."

   Broots clenched the wheel tighter, not in anger, but in frustrating curiosity. What she had just done had been something that he'd been meaning to ask her about since the first time he'd had a conversation with her.

   "That's it." He grumbled and swerved over to the side of the road and parked.

   Elf 17 jerked her head up and looked around fearfully. "Have we popped a tire? What's wrong?"

   He ignored her questions and turned to look at her, trying to grow the backbone that Ms. Parker ha always pestered him about.                                         

   "Look, I need to know something. Ever since I've met you I've noticed how different you are from other pretenders and projects that Raines has created. I've watched what that man turns children into and believe me it isn't pretty. Even Jarod didn't act as human as you do and he was raised by Sydney! Now I've heard you use sarcasm, modern lingo, and understand most humor and jokes. Sure you are still learning, but you understand and act more like a teenager that Jarod ever had. And you have been brought up without any human contact besides Raines!" He looked exasperated. "How?" He finished weakly.          

  Elf 17 bit her lip and closed her eyes, as if searching how best to tell this man her answer. She opened her eyes and looked at him, having seemingly formed a plausible explanation. "Well, first off, you're wrong."

   "Huh?"

   "I mean Raines was not the only human contact I had while growing up in the Centre. That's the main part of it. I was raised by Raines yes, but I was also raised, and in a large part I might add, by Willie."

   "Willie? The sweeper?"

   "Yes. Raines had to keep me a secret from the Centre and therefore was not able to come in contact with me too often. People would wonder where he went. So, the duty went to his personal sweeper, Willie." She paused. " I'm not entirely sure of his reasons, or his initial motivation, but Willie felt the need to protect me. He'd seen me, a small, helpless and far-too trusting little girl, and he remembered all too well what others before me had been turned into. He didn't want me to be a sadistic psychopath, or a golem without emotion; he wanted me to be more, as you put it, human. So he'd talk to me and teach me of the outside world and phrases, and as I learned more, he even taught me knock-knock jokes and riddles." Broots' eyebrows shot up but Elf 17 continued. "I became more like a teenager than anyone unfortunate enough to be raised in the Centre had. And I was also taught to hide it from Raines at all costs. Ever since then, Willie and I have been, for all practical purposes, friends."

   Broots looked like he'd bitten into a hot chili pepper covered in Tabasco sauce. His eyes widened comically, and he began opening and closing his mouth. After some struggle, he managed to get his mouth working again.

   "W-Willie felt sorry for you? A pretender? He actually wanted to help you?"

   She nodded.

  "B-But he hates Jarod! He'd kill him if he could! How could he be so, so nice to you when-"

   "When I'm a pretender." She finished for him.

   Broots nodded mutely; still slightly shocked that Willie could be so compassionate to another human being, a pretender no less!

    "I knew that Willie hated a certain pretender," Elf 17 said thoughtfully, "but I never knew who it was. So it's Jarod. Hmm. Makes sense if you think about it. Though he never did tell me **_why_** he hates him. I'll have to remember to ask him."

   "Uh, huh," Broots said, not even listening.

   Elf 17gently laid a hand on his shoulder. "Oh Broots, it's not **_that _**bad. At least I didn't say that Mr. **_Lyle_** taught me how to be normal."  

   Broots managed a laugh. " I don't think he knows how to be normal himself." He started up the jeep's engine and began looking for a gap in traffic. "You know, I guess there's more to Willie than meets the eye."

   Elf 17 remembered all that Willie had done for her. From consoling her when she was frightened, to being as much of a friend as he could without getting Raines' attention.

   "Without a doubt. " She whispered to herself. "Without a doubt." 

   Broots steered the Jeep back onto the road and they began driving once more to their rapidly approaching destination. But whether going was for better or worse, neither could truthfully say.

2:03 PM

Los Angelus, California

Hollywood

Broots and Elf 17 had entered Los Angelus, and were now in the almost world-renowned, gold-paved streets of Hollywood. The area was all right, if a bit crowded, and Elf 17 found the air much too thick.

   The first thing they'd done was gone down looking for newspapers. At a newsstand, they'd bought maybe six or seven different papers, both local and citywide. After scanning scrupulously through every article, both Broots and Elf 17 were surprised to find exactly the same thing.

   Nothing.

No crimes had been pulled, at least, none of the large ones that or any of the type that might attract Jarod's eye.

   Broots was at first afraid that they'd misinterpreted the clues, but Elf 17 assured him that coming to Los Angelus was not a mistake. He was here, and apparently he hadn't yet found what he was looking for. Which of course, raised another question. What was he looking for?

   Elf 17 and Broots were at the moment parked outside of a famous hotel that they'd just checked for registries under the name Jarod. Of course, they'd found nothing. So Broots was now furiously typing away on his laptop and searching the web for any clues at all. Elf 17 was leaned up against the jeep, her arms crossed as she brooded in silence.

   Elf 17 knew that she didn't have much time left. The clock was ticking so to speak, and every day she was becoming less and less certain about her life. She had to finish and get back before her emotions got in the way. It was time to use one of her more "unique" gifts that had been added on to her pretender skills.

   "Broots!" she called.

   "Yeah?"

   "Could you bring out the bag we put Jarod's clues in?"

   He gave her a skeptical look, but then set down his laptop, grabbed his backpack and came out.

   She thanked him and dug through the bag to pull out the box that Jarod had put the "motel" clue in.

She opened the box, closed her eyes, and transformed. She then began taking in the smells of the box.

   She could smell hay, and country air, and Elmer's glue and…Jarod. He had a distinctive smell, and he smelled almost sweet, a lot like sugar. Though from what she'd heard from Broots, it was probably all of the PEZ that he ate. She smiled though. To her sensitive nose he smelled very, very good. She opened her eyes and looked over at Broots who seemed thoroughly confused and curious as to what she was doing.

   " I have his scent. I'll be able to track him now. How many bus routes are there into this city if you ride in from the east, like Jarod did?"

   Broots turned and got back into the jeep and started searching on the web. He waited while the page he needed loaded.

   "Um…it says here that the quickest routes coming in from the East…Oh! There are three."

   "Could you write them down?"

   He did so and came out to hand them to her. She stared at the names in her hand for a moment or two, envisioning their routes on the map and getting into the psyche she'd come to know so well.

   Broots held out a pen for her and she took it. He'd known that she was getting into "pretender" mode. Elf 17 circled a name and handed him back the paper. She got into the Jeep, buckling up and waiting for Broots. He got in and looked at her expectantly.

   "He'll have come in on that bus line and on that route." She said, giving him her answer. "The first stop that that bus makes in Hollywood is only a few blocks away."

   "Oh." He said and nodded in understanding.

   They sat in silence.

   Elf 17 looked over at him. "Could you drive us there?"

   Broots jumped slightly. "Oh! Oops. Right. Sorry."

They arrived at the bus stop in less than six minutes. Broots parked on the other side of the street and put some money in the parking meter, giving them four hours worth of time. Elf 17 had told him that tracking Jarod on foot would be much easier than in the jeep, and considering that he knew nothing whatsoever about tracking by scent, he was inclined to follow her advice.

   Elf 17 stood at the bus stop and sniffed the surrounding air. _Come on, come on…there!_ Her eyes shot open and she suppressed the urge to howl like a hound and immediately run after her quarry.

   "Broots! I got it!"

   He jogged over to her. "I'll follow you," he told her.

   She smiled at him before letting her transformation take hold. She sniffed the air, caught hold of the scent once more, and began steadily and speedily walking in the direction of the city, with Broots carrying both his backpack and her suitcase, and struggling to match her stride.

   Elf 17 turned corners, crossed intersections and even went in and out of a store. The scent led her into a PEZ aisle and she rolled her eyes upward before continuing her hunt. 

It had been nearly three hours since they had set out, and Broots was beginning to wonder what batteries Elf 17 ran on, because his sure weren't cutting it. For all the time they'd been out searching, Elf 17's strenuous pace had never once slackened, and Broots' was often quite a few steps behind her.  Finally it became too much for Broots and he was forced to stop for a moment. He dropped the bags and clutched his knees as he stood slowly breathing in and out.

   Elf 17 stopped when she heard he was no longer following. She looked back at him and Broots was surprised to see anger on her face. But that was not all he saw. He saw there, as plain as the hot sun overhead, pure exhaustion. Her breathing was shaky and her face was pale. She was sweating profusely and he imagined that the black outfit she was wearing didn't help any. She looked so tired and yet she seemed to be ignoring every protest her body made, brushing it away as though it were and annoying fly buzzing around her head.

   Broots and Debbie liked to watch a lot of shows together. One of there favorite channels was animal planet, and he remembered a show they'd seen that had been done on police dogs. They had said that when the bloodhounds were tracking a subject, they had to be forced to rest or else they'd keep on tracking past the point of exhaustion and could end up collapsing from dehydration or muscle fatigue. Perhaps it was the same with Elf 17. 

    "Why are you stopping Broots?" She almost growled at him, and he became slightly worried as he saw her eyes were still the color of a harvest moon and spliced down the center. It meant she was still in her animal mode, the mode that she'd been in when she'd fought Lyle. Broots remembered all too well the beating Lyle had received from her.

   He straightened up, tips from the shows he'd watched on how to scare off wild predatory animals swimming through his mind. _Don't show fear, don't show fear, stand up straight and don't show fear…_"Um, look I'm really tired could we possibly rest? For me?" Yeah right, like he was going to tell her that he was more worried about her. He liked living thank you very much.

   She clenched and unclenched her hands in frustration, her ears moving back and forth and sideways and back…Broots became slightly disoriented just watching them. He heard a deep growl rising up from the back of her throat. He suddenly found it very hard not to show fear.

   "His scent is getting strong by the moment. We are near. I can smell it! And," her eyes narrowed dangerously, "until we find him we. Will. Not. Stop." She slightly bared her teeth and Broots noticed fearfully that her canines were unusually thick, long, and sharp.

   "Okay." He squeaked.

   She waited patiently while he picked up the bags and then spun around to begin tracking once more.

   Broots sighed mentally. _I need to ask Sydney if he knows any good psychiatrists. _

5:45 pm

Los Angelus, California

Near The Border Of Hollywood

The Last Place You'd Ever Expect The Search For Jarod To Lead To...

Elf 17 blinked, and her transformation washed away as easily as a sand castle before a wave. Her mouth hung open ever so slightly, and her emerald eyes filled with tears. She gave off a choked sob and collapsed to her knees in the grass. 

   After the single stop during her hunt, Elf 17 had sensed something wrong, even as Jarod's scent drew inexorably stronger. She'd known that she might not like where the search had led her, but never, **_never_**, had she expected that it would lead her here. She stared forward out past the lawn and sidewalk, past the fenced off old playground and past concrete steps of a gray building whose name would be forever burned in her memory.

    The LA Institution For Child Welfare

She gave a pained smile at the irony of it. She'd spent her whole life trying to forget this place this, **_institute_**, and her she was again, practically at the front steps. It was the symbol of every inner pain she held locked away. It was the symbol that reminded her that she had been forgotten, forsaken, and practically thrown away to be handed over like a present to another family. Her own parents had abandoned her, and she could never stop asking herself **_why_**. She'd probably never find out their motivation, and she wasn't all that sure she wanted to. It was that very abandonment that had led to the life she led now. If she hadn't been in the orphanage on that day, if Raines hadn't had a contact at the Institute who'd been specifically assigned to look for children who might have possessed the Pretender gene, than she wouldn't be living in the hell her parents had unknowingly sent her into. 

   She knelt crying for nearly five minutes when a huffing and puffing Broots jogged over, extremely winded.

   "God, I never knew I was that out of shape…Hey are you, are you crying? Hey are you all right?  What's…" he broke off and saw the sign of the building she was crying in front of. He read its name. It was an orphanage. Now how could an orphanage get her so riled up like that? How could…

   Then it came back in a flash, from the first time he'd seen her at the T-board Meeting. 

**_"Raines, where did…Elf 17 come from?"   _**

**_Raines smiled. "She was an orphan from a child care services in California…_**

"Oh my God." He whispered to himself.

   Elf 17 raised her head, tears still streaming down. She pointed to the doors of the building in front of them.

   "His scent leads in there and comes back out if you're wondering." She drew up her knees and hugged them tightly, fighting with all her willpower against an onslaught of memories that were best off forgotten.

   Broots gave a puzzled frown. "But why would Jarod come here? He couldn't have known about you could he?"

   She shook her head and flung tiny crystalline tears. "No, he couldn't have known about me. He wouldn't have come here even if he **_had _**found out about me. With the exception of going to get food or supplies, he has a purpose to everywhere he goes that-" her head suddenly shot up and the tears stopped forming instantly. Her eyes opened wide, as realization dawned on her. "That relates to his pretend," she finished in a whisper.

   "Elf 17?" Boots asked timidly.

   She hadn't even heard him speak. A million possibilities of the implications of this new discovery were racing through her mind at incomprehensible speeds. Jarod had come here purposely, which meant that it had something to do with his reasons to come to Los Angelus in the first place. But that would mean that he felt something was going on at the orphanage, that something wrong, (most likely illegal), was happening.

   Her mind told her to stop right there, not to go on any farther and to let the dead remain buried. But her heart, her wounded, hole filled and bleeding heart, told her that she could no longer stay back and turn a blind eye this. So following what she hoped was the right path, she faced a possibility that in her naiveté, she'd ignored completely.

   Perhaps her coincidental drop off at an orphanage that had been watched by a Centre operative hadn't been so coincidental after all.

   "Broots?" she asked quietly.

   The technician stopped the nervous pacing that he'd taken up. "Yes?"

   "Where is the closest cabin rental?"

   This time he didn't pause in confusement but immediately pulled his laptop out from its case. After a few minutes of searching he found one. He told her the location of a two-bed cabin out in the woods about five miles North out of Hollywood, and she mentally stored its location away.

   "Broots, I know this will not make sense, and I doubt you'll fully trust me, but I need you to do something."

   He nodded, wishing he could tell her how easy it would be to give her his trust.

   "I need you to go back to the jeep and book that cabin for two days, three at the most. Drive there and **_stay_** there. I-I have something I have to do. I'll meet you there in a few hours."

   "Okay. I trust you."

   And from the look on her face, Broots realized just how much those words meant to her.

6:47 PM

Los Angelus, California

Hollywood

Jarod's Lair, (Abandoned Parking Garage Basement.)

Jarod walked down the cold and concrete steps, descending into darkness, his every step ringing out like a proclamation of his arrival.

   He'd spent the past three or four days searching for answers on his newest mission, and for once, the pretender was becoming worried.

   He wasn't on an official pretend, where he'd play out a role to solve the crime or mystery, and so at the moment he wasn't really worried that Ms. Parker and the others would locate him. Although, if he didn't find something soon and stayed any longer, that could easily change. 

   For all his searching, questioning, and snooping, he hadn't found out what was going on at the institution, except that something was **_definitely_** going on. And that made him nervous.

   He sighed when he reached the bottom of the steps and he opened the basement door. He had his eyes down as he walked down, mulling over anything he might have missed on his search today. He closed the door behind him and flicked on the lights. And when he looked up, he was thoroughly surprised to see a fifteen-year-old girl sitting cross-legged on his bed with her hands neatly folded in her lap.

   Elf 17 lifted her head and gave her fellow pretender a half-hearted smile.

   "Hello Jarod."

************************************************************************************

   Gasp! What's going to happen now? Will Jarod escape her in time? Will Elf 17 find out the truth about her past? Will Frodo ever destroy the one ring? Oops! Sorry, wrong story.

   (In cheesy radio announcer voice) Find out all these and more, next time on: Elf 17! 


	6. And So It Begins

Disclaimer: I get nothing from these stories with the exception of feedback and temporary sanity.

   PS: If you sue me, you'll receive a paperclip, 28 cents, and a piece of string. Sorry if you were expecting a **_rich_** fourteen-year-old.

Rating:  PG, all around a warm fuzzy family story. At least, it would have been but for a secret covert evil organization that will remain nameless. (She coughs and it strangely sounds like the word "Centre" was spoken).

Summary: Either you've been reading this story, or you want to confuse yourself. In this chapter, Jarod and Elf 17 finally meet, and when Elf 17 makes her decision known, the winds of change begin to blow…

**_Authors Note!** *_** I've been kindly told about ten different times the same thing in my feedback and I've come to realize that you're all really frustrated at Elf 17's name. Someone even wrote telling me should have an elf name instead of just the word elf, and then finally I was hit on the head by the spirit of Obviousness, (is that even a word?) and discovered that nobody understands her name. So, though I was going to put off the reason for her name until the end of the story (there will be an end by the way) I have decided to include it early in this chapter. Hope you'll get it now! Thanks for the feedback! (P.S: Kudos to Molly Morrison for the Los Angeles spelling. I've lived in CA, but I never had to spell Los Angeles before. Thanks again!) 

**_Authors other note!**** _** the story's ending soon in about two or three, (I'm not sure yet) chapters, but don't worry, there will be a **Major **climax. I just want to warn you guys though that because of all the stuff I'm going to have to write for the chapters, I might have to post later than expected. It will only be three or four days maybe five, but I just want to give you all a heads up!

Feedback: (ShadowElf has just escaped being yet another near-death experience and is trudging through the woods, fed up with her past audiences.) "Those ungrateful idiots! I hardly **_ever _**get past my basic intro. [Sits down on a log.] "It's always, 'I need feedback, I live for feedback,' and then somebody tries to kill or eat me. [Slouches] "Life as a bard sucks."

   [A frog hops over next to her feet and the two stare at each other. ShadowElf raises and eyebrow.] 

   "If I told you a story you wouldn't try to kill me would you?" 

   "Ribbit."

   [ShadowElf smiles] "That's what I thought."

                                                                      ----**ShadowElfBard**

                        **Here The Story Comes To Save The Day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

6:49 PM

Los Angeles, California

Hollywood

Jarod's Lair (Abandoned Parking Garage Basement)

Jarod waited perhaps half a millisecond before turning around and rushing for the door. 

   Elf 17 had been preparing however, and sprung like panther off of the bed and wrapped her arms around his arms and her legs and around his waist.

   He toppled to the ground.

   He began struggling with every ounce of power in his body, and Elf 17 had to raise her eyebrows in appreciation of his muscular strength and determination. But still, when you're struggling against the every embodiment of Nature's wild children, your strength and skills are somewhat diminished. 

  Elf 17 rolled him over onto his back while moving herself so that she now sat positioned on his chest, pinning his arms to the floor and using her weight to keep him from getting up.

   Jarod looked into her eyes, expecting to see triumph and victory from what he believed was a Centre operative, when instead he found pity and sympathy. It was a sight so rare and surreal that he stopped struggling and lay as docile as a lamb beneath her. 

    Elf 17 felt so sorry for this man, though he was truly just a boy, and his beautiful brown eyes shone with yearning for freedom and mercy. He suddenly went limp under her hold and she released his arms and took a deep breath, composing herself.

   "I'm going to get off of you now Jarod, and I need you to promise me that you're not going to run away."

   He nodded, if somewhat hesitantly, and she let him stand.

   "I won't run." He told her. "Besides," he added ruefully, looking down at his leg, "I doubt I'd get very far." 

   Elf 17 looked down at the leg he was staring at and realized with a sudden horror that he was bleeding freely from a deep cut, and a large purplish bruise was beginning to form over it.

   Her ears went back in shock and she looked into his eyes with misery and sorrow. "I- I did that? I had no idea…" she trailed off, at a loss for words.

   Jarod was dumbfounded but didn't dare show it. Normal Centre agents wouldn't give a damn. _Then again,_ he thought, looking at her pointed ears and slim but obviously powerful teenage body, _perhaps this isn't a normal Centre agent._

   Elf 17 refocused her eyes on his leg once more, to see just how bad the wound was.  She noticed with half relief that though she'd caused the bruise, the cut that was bleeding hadn't been her doing. The impact of hitting the floor had just reopened old scar tissue.

   "How did it happen?" she asked softly.

   Jarod decided to test her, and see if she truly worked for the Centre. But first he had to do something about his leg. He slowly moved over to a bag beside his cot, careful not to lead her to believe he was trying to run again, and as he worked on his leg using supplies from a First-Aid kit, he told her. "Sweeper bullet. It was aimed poorly and grazed the side of my leg. I suspect that because of the bruise that's no doubt forming and its re-opening, I'll be limping for a while."

   She cringed and apologized, both actions nearly causing Jarod to drop the iodine bottle he was holding. Elf 17 looked at the expression on his face and then nodded somewhat resignedly.

   "Yes Jarod, I came from the Centre. I, I've been sent to bring you back."

   Jarod had packed away the stuff he'd used to bandage his leg and was finishing rolling his pant leg back down when he heard her. His head shot up and he set his jaw. So, the niceties had all been acted. She was here to bring him back and she could probably care less about his wound. Anger flooded through him, driving out all other emotions as it swept through his system on the warpath.

   "Well, then you know my opinions on the matter and that I would rather sever off my arm with a rusted steak knife than go back there."

   She gave a slight smile at this. "Yes. And that's a pretty gruesome image by the way."

   "It was meant to be."

   Jarod faintly wondered why he wasn't in his usual "wise guy" routine and trying to get her furious. Perhaps it was how strange it was for the Centre to send someone so young, perhaps it was because, for some reason, he felt that she didn't deserve to be treated like that.

   "Jarod?" she asked quietly, as if afraid that by saying the wrong thing he'd try to snap her neck. "I need to ask you something."

   "Go ahead," he responded, mildly curious and planning possible escapes from this girl.

   "I need you to do something for me."

   Instantly his eyes were ablaze and though he didn't raised his voice, his words held obvious scorn that seemed to bite at Elf 17's fragile hearing.

   "I don't know anything about you except that you work for the very bane of my pathetic life. Give me a plausible reason as to why I should even listen to what you have to say."

   "Because though I've been ordered to, I'm not going to bring you back to the Centre."

 "You're not going to bring me back?" Jarod asked with childlike innocence.

   "No. I was thinking about letting you go since yesterday, but up until a few hours ago, I was going to bring you in."

   Jarod laughed, and it was a laugh of surprise and joy. "Who **_are_** you?" 

   She grinned, "I'm a pretender."

   He ceased laughing instantly. "You're joking."

   "No. I'm a pretender. A feral pretender to be exact, but a pretender nonetheless."****

   "A feral pretender? Are you saying that you're able to pretend to be an animal?"

   "Yes, and as you've probably noticed," she pointed to her ears, "it has side effects."

   Jarod sat back down on his bed. "If you're a pretender, then why are you roaming free? The Centre is usually very strict on such matters."

   "This is a test trial for me. I was a secret project of Raines, and bringing you in is supposed to prove my worth to the Centre and Triumvate."

   Jarod ran a hand back through his hair. "To be raised by Raines…I'm surprised that you seem so sane."

   She gave a short chuckle. "That's another story entirely."

   Jarod was trying very carefully to steer away from two questions that were at the moment completely occupying his thoughts. Why was she even here and not hiding from the Centre with her newfound freedom, and, was she a better pretender than him? The second question was very important, because if she were, than the Centre would almost definitely give up the search for him and send out orders to have him shot on site. It was an extremely hard thing to take an unwilling person somewhere they don't want to go alive and well, it was a very easy task to kill them. Jarod would have to work much harder at staying away from the Centre if they changed the rules on him.

   Elf 17 could tell that something was occupying Jarod's thoughts, and from her pretends, she had an idea as to what it would be. But for the question she had no real answer. She was pretty sure that if he was fearful that she was a better pretender than him, than he shouldn't worry about it, but still, she had no idea herself. 

   Jarod finally put away the questions he had and cleared his throat. "What was it you needed my help for?"

   Elf 17 thought carefully. "I need you to help me find out the truth."

   "I've been searching for that elusive item for the better part of three years. I don't know how great your chances would be."

     She transformed for a brief moment and Jarod's eyes widened. "I will do whatever it takes. I have lived at the Centre ever since I can remember. I know I was picked up at an orphanage, but I need to know if something else was going on."

   Jarod's heart almost stopped. "The orphanage here in Los Angeles?"

   "Yes. I know that your pretend has something to do with it. I need to find out what you know. Would you be willing to come with me to a cabin I rented? Its secluded enough that you don't have to worry about anybody finding you, and I have…certain computer equipment that might prove useful."

   Jarod thought it over. "Well, seeing as I have almost no info to give you and my searches haven't been working out, I guess trying to use your equipment wouldn't hurt any." He gave his famous grin   and stuck out a hand.

   Elf 17 grabbed it and the two shook on it, though Elf 17 had no idea what he was doing.

   "By the way," Jarod said, releasing her, "you know my name, but I don't know yours."

   Elf 17 backed her ears. "Believe me, you don't want to know."

   Jarod noticed the flicker of pain in her eyes and left it at that. He collected what little possessions he had, grabbed his DSA case, and together they headed off to catch a bus out of Hollywood.

8:50 PM

Los Angeles, California

Mountain Ridge Area

Rented Cabin

Jarod and Elf 17 walked steadily and slowly through the forest, while the sky above rapidly darkened. They had gotten as close as they could on the bus, seated in a more secluded corner of the vehicle, and they had exchanged what little they knew of their own lives and pasts. Jarod had been absolutely shocked to learn about Willie's true nature, and was interested in Elf 17 abilities. Elf 17 felt that she would be having many nightmares from the things she'd heard about Jarod's life at the Centre, and it made her all the more pleased that she wasn't worth as much to them. A slightly selfish joy perhaps, but it was how she felt. 

   The two had headed into the woods about half an hour ago and Elf 17 had assured him from her position up front, that they were rapidly approaching. With everything going dark around them, Jarod had been thankful for Elf 17's nocturnal eyesight. Very thankful.

   "This is it." Elf 17 announced, stopping and moving to the side so that Jarod could see.

   He stepped beside her and looked over at the beautiful cabin. It was a dark reddish brown, medium in size, and from what he could see into the cabin from the lit up windows, nicely decorated. The cabins' grounds were only about two kilometers of dirt in either direction, so the cabin looked positively boxed in by the surrounding wilderness.

    Jarod and Elf 17 made their way to the door and when they reached it, Elf 17 knocked loudly. Jarod glanced at her in surprise and she just winked at him. 

   They could hear someone scrambling inside, and soft cursing as the person tripped over something probably left in the hall. The door was thrown open and a disheveled Broots came out.

   "Gosh you're late El-" his mouth went agape at the sight of Jarod.

   Jarod, equally surprised, gave a trademark grin. "Hello again Broots."

   "J-J-Jarod?" The computer technicians' eyes bugged out and he shot a questioning look at Elf 17. 

   Elf 17 turned to the pretender. "Jarod, I'd like you to meet my computer equipment."

   "Broots? You're going to use **_him_** to find get into the orphanage's files?"

   She gave a slight shrug. "He's more than qualified for it. And from what you've told me about your experiences so far with this place, their computer security was too tough for you to break into." She then folded her arms and gave him a playful scolding look. "Now are we going to freeze to death out here or what?"

   Jarod gave an exasperated sigh and everyone walked into the cabin, Broots still staring in awe and complete and utter confusion.

   After the door had been shut and Jarod went off to explore the cabin, Broots pulled Elf 17 over to the side. "Elf 17 what's he doing here?!" he hissed. "And walking around freely?!"

   "First off Broots," and she gave a slight nod at the hand he was using to hold her wrist. He looked down at it, let go, and almost pissed himself. 

   "Sorry," he turned beet red.

   "No harm done. Now Broots, I'm sure that you already know that I come form an orphanage here in Los Angeles." He nodded. "Well, Jarod came here fort he sole purpose of snooping it out. He has reason to believe that something is going on there, that it might be connected to the Centre in more ways than just an undercover agent." She looked pleadingly at him. "Broots, I need to know if I was truly just abandoned or if something else was going on. Besides, I can't take him back to the Centre. I won't."

   To her surprise, Broots gave a large sigh of relief. "Oh thank God. I couldn't bring him back after what he's done for Debbie and me. This make thing so much better."

   Elf 17 just smiled, thinking that perhaps, things were going to be easier than expected.  She watched as Broots and Jarod talked together, Broots complimenting Jarod on all of the wacky things he always left behind for Ms. Parker and the rest of the pursuit team to find. Elf 17 held back tears. She was going to have to somehow hide Broots and Debbie after she let Jarod go, and she was slightly afraid of what would be waiting for her when she returned to the Centre without their pretender. She was going to take the blame of course, and maybe it would make the Centre ignore the fact that Broots was gone. All she knew was that even if it resulted in spending the rest of her life in the sublevels of the Centre, she would gladly help out the man who was one of her only friends, and who had given her a few brief days of freedom.

"Hey Jarod?" Broots asked, having just started the check over of the orphanage's rundown. Jarod and Elf 17 were both seated on a couch behind him, while a fire roared and gladly provided light and warmth in the cabin.

   "Yes Broots?" 

   H turned his chair around and pointed at the screen. "Is this the security program you were having trouble gaining access to?"

  He was pointing towards a file that apparently held records on all of the children dropped off at the orphanage, and that when clicked on turned the screen completely black and began running various numbers and letters down the screen at high speeds, in different colors and sometimes different language symbols.

   Jarod came and looked over his shoulder, and then sighed. "Yep, that's the one."

   Broots stared at him blankly for a moment and then a lit up look came over his features. "Oh. Wow. Well how about that…"

   "What?" Elf 17 asked him, sitting up straighter.

   "It's just that, well, I designed this security program."

   "You what?!" They both shouted.

   "Yeah." He said still stunned himself. "I made it for the Centre as a test to prove I was qualified when I applied for the job. I always wondered how well it worked, seeing as they took away all of the copies of it…" He smiled proudly. "Wow. The smartest man in the world couldn't break my security program." He gave an even wider grin. "Gosh, just wait until I tell Ms. Parker…"

   Jarod started. "Whoa Broots! I'm impressed, but I don't know if you should tell Ms. Parker." The worry in his voice made Elf 17 laugh, seeing that the only thing that truly scared the pretender was not the Centre, but the woman **_in_** the Centre.

   Elf 17 finally stopped laughing and Jarod looked a bit embarrassed.

   Broots just shook his head and began clicking on various symbol and numbers and the concentration in his eyes was almost as intense as Elf 17's own glares when she was in her animal mode. Finally there came a "Beep, be, de, eep beep beep beep!" Broots sighed happily and slouched in the chair, the symbols and numbers faded and just when everyone thought that the files were going to open, a small white box popped up in the middle of the screen.

   "Huh?" asked Broots. He read it and then winced. "Oh shoot."

   "What?" Asked Elf 17. She got up from the couch and came over as Broots spoke.

   "They sure set this system up good. You can't just go to a menu of the various children's files, you have to type in one individual file to access any of from the main file. But it's not typing in just a child's name or such, you have to type in a number sequence, most likely the child's birthday. And the only record of the children's birthday's-"

   "Are in the file we're trying to get into," finished Jarod sourly.

   "Basically."

   Elf 17 swallowed roughly, and fought against the emotions now nearly capsizing her judgment. She closed her eyes and steadied herself.

   "Broots, type in 5/12/6 " she said softly.

   "But what's tha-"

  "Please Broots!" She held back tears. "Just…please."

   "Okay Elf 17." He said a bit warily and typed it in. 

   Jarod swiftly turned around. He raised an eyebrow at her. "Your name is Elf 17?" At seeing her nod, his mind began racing. "Elf…E is the fifth letter of the alphabet, L is the twelfth, and F is the sixth." His eyes widened. "Elf stands for your birthday doesn't it?"

   She gave an almost angry smile. "Yes. May 12, 1986." 

   Jarod suddenly looked sick. "Wait the 17 doesn't stand for…"

   "Afraid so. There were eighteen pretender hopefuls that were brought in for Raines' testing procedure." She turned her head to the side and her face shook with fury. "Out of the eighteen I was the only successful subject. The others either died, went insane, or just didn't meet his standards and were sent off to be used in other Centre projects."

   Jarod heaved a heavy sigh. "I'm sorry."

   "You couldn't have known. Besides, you were still in the Centre at the time, sucking down the lies that they fed you. "   

   "I've got it!" Broots shouted to them.

   They both came over. They'd reached a main record page. Broots clicked a few times, typed in some words for the program's search engine, and then the very information that Jarod had come to find was revealed, and Elf 17's questions were answered. And when she'd finished reading, when the truth that she'd been so determined to find was flung out naked and exposed for what it truly was, Elf 17 let out a howl of blind rage and fury that rivaled with that of the wolves…  

11:21PM (Eastern Time)

Blue Cove, Delaware

You Guessed It, The Centre

Raines Private Office

Raines had gotten off of the phone nearly two hours ago, giving the sweepers and their leader a new location to head to. From the signal Raines had received it seemed that Elf 17 and the damnable technician had finally settled somewhere, which had led Raines to believe that his project had caught the pretender she'd been sent to track down, and he'd been happily awaiting the call that this was so. Within the past hour though, Raines had realized that something was wrong, and that perhaps she was having second thoughts. He'd quickly decided that it might be best to send the retrieval team his projects current location, and to possibly, help her with her decision.

   Suddenly he was called on his private intercom.

   "What?" he rasped.

   "S-s-sir?" came the nervous secretaries reply. "You have a call from a Mr. L-"

   "Put him on."

   "Yes sir."

   He picked up his phone and he heard chuckles from the other side.

   "Quite a mousy secretary you have there Raines."

   "What is this about?"

   "Just wanted to tell you we've arrived at the location you gave us, and after a rather quick talk with a bus driver who stopped near here, the helpful gentlemen told us that he saw your project and Jarod together." Raines could practically envision the smirk on the other man's face as he said, "and Jarod wasn't in cuffs."

   Raines gripped the phone angrily. "They are now at the cabin?" 

   "Presumably."

   "You are to make use of the twenty sweepers I sent you. Surround the cabin and all it's possible escape routes. Jarod will be easy enough to get if you catch him as he comes out, but Elf 17 is trained to work in woodland areas, and with her animal instincts guiding her." He paused. "You remember the two tools I gave you?"

   A chuckle from the other side. "How could I forget?"

   "Set the trap for her and use the gun and all should work well, as long as she is herded in the right direction." He thought for a moment. "Do it tonight. Elf 17 will be the only one who can see in that light, Jarod will be easier to catch. Your men are all fitted with night goggles and flashlights?"  

   "Yes."

   "Good. The jet will be there for the cargo and your men in four or five hours. There's a field east of the woods you're going to where it can land."

   "All right then. Until later Raines." He hung up.

   Raines put down the phone and then got up to head down to the sweepers in the sublevels. It was time that someone got Jarod's new room prepared.

************************************************************************************

 Gotcha! I love cliffhangers. You didn't actually think that I'd let you guys get off that easy did you? Nope, you have to keep the audience crawling back for more, that's what I always say! 

   (Angry fans brandish weapons and glare at ShadowElfBard with looks that would frighten Satan himself.)

   Eeep!


	7. Caught

Disclaimer:  Do you see a sign that I have placed on the Pretender characters and plot that says 'private property'? No? Then they sure as hell aren't mine.

Rating: This one's going to be rated PG-13 folks for a bit of violence, and mature topics (not sex).

Summary:  I know that you know that I know you know the plot. (Going to be thinking about that one for a while eh?)

**_Author's Note!!! _**(Holding up printed feedback list like it's an Oscar) You like me you really like me! I shall forever be in your debt loyal fan fiction…erm… fans! Also remember, contrary to popular belief, I **will not **bite off the heads of those who give me _constructive _criticisms. However, flames of death will be deflected by Shadow Elf's power of storytelling and your cat will wake up hairless. 

Feedback:  (Shadow Elf has finished telling last chapter to the frog and sighs as she looks down upon him.) "Oh well, too bad frogs can't give feedback. I have to be going little guy." [She picks him up gently and gives him a kiss. Instantly, there are bright swirling and colorful lights. A clean-shaven, black-haired man with icy blue eyes stands before her in fancy clothing and a black cape]

   [Shadow Elf gapes at him] "Are you a prince who will now marry me because I've kissed you and broken a witches' spell?"

Man: yes.

   "Really?"

Man: No. Actually I am an evil mage bent on overthrowing the king and enslaving the people of this magical world. I was imprisoned in that body and have found that because you are a Shadow Elf your story telling has magic and I will now take you to my castle after I easily overthrow the king and imprison you so that I can drain away your magick. 

   [Shadow Elf nods nonchalantly] "Oh. Crap." _Why can't I just have a prince like all of the blonde bimbo princesses? Nooooo I have to have Mr. Evil-Guy-With-Aspirations-For-World-Domination. God. I wonder how many people saw this coming?_

                                                                               ----** ShadowElfBard**

**                              Story! Story! Story! Story! Story!**

9:29 PM

Los Angeles, California

Mountain Ridge Area

Cabin

Jarod held Elf 17's arms behind her back with all of the strength he could muster. Yet still, she was slowly but steadily making her way to the cabin door. Broots was at the moment staying out of sight, and for good reason.

   "I'M GOING TO KILL THEM!" She shrieked, in transformation. 

   The information they had just discovered was shocking, even for the Centre, and Jarod was very tempted to just let go of her. But he was holding her back not for the Centre, but for her. 

   From what Broots had told him earlier; the girl had trouble controlling her emotions and actions when in transformation. Broots had told him that as her normal self, she was selfless, and cared for every living thing no matter how small. He'd said that she had even saved caterpillars and various insects on the sidewalk when they were going around the many towns. That type of person would not want to be allowed to kill people, no matter how much those people might deserve death.

   The information they'd discovered, quite plainly, was this: The orphanage was not only infiltrated by Centre agents, it was **_run_** by them. 

   The entire orphanage had been built for the sole purpose of helping the Centre. Parents were found whose children were likely to have the pretender gene. The Centre then proceeded to get the infants' or toddler's blood sample, (posing as the child's doctor), verifying whether or not they had it. Those that were unlucky enough to possess it were taken away. Not in the night, but very formally. False charges of abuse and such were brought up against the parents and the jury was completely picked by the Centre. It was a lost cause for the parents who desperately battled for their children, and the parents were allowed to remain out of jail, (in most cases) while their children were taken away from them. The orphanage was where the children were raised basically, until someone from the Centre or Triumvate was sent down to pick a child for a project or experiment they were doing. The orphanage was a pet store basically, one where the animals never knew that they were caged. 

   Elf 17 still fought against Jarod's hold and suddenly grew furious at him. She maneuvered out of his grip in a complicated but smooth movement, and turned to face and most likely maul him. But when she saw his eyes, she became lost in them. Her transformation disappeared as thought it had never been there and she collapsed to the ground in a heap, hugging her knees and sobbing. Her parents hadn't abandoned her, they hadn't hated her, and she'd been loved. She'd been cared for and she'd been stolen.

   Jarod sat on the ground beside her, hugging the crying girl close to him, letting her tears soak his shirt as he slowly caressed her silky hair. Jarod comforted her, even pretending for the moment, in spite of himself, that he was her father.

   Elf 17 let him hug her, hold her, and eagerly became enwrapped in his care and love. She doubted he would ever know that at that moment, she had pretended to be his daughter.

   And from living room, a balding man listened to Jarod's comforting sounds and Elf 17's muffled sobs, and dreamed of when he'd see his own child again.

1:03 AM

Los Angeles, California

Mountain Range Area

Cabin

Elf 17 stirred restlessly in the sleep she'd thought would never come. Jarod was out sleeping on the couch at his request, and Broots was in the next room over. They'd fallen asleep perhaps three hours ago, and the fire in the fireplace had been put out. 

   Suddenly Elf 17 eyes snapped open, and she calmed her rapid heartbeat as she realized that she'd been having yet another nightmare. She sighed and sat up in the bed, resting her sweating forehead in her hand. The things she'd discovered this night… her entire decision had to be rethought. She was still getting Broots away, but was she going back to the Centre afterwards?

    She'd been lied to her entire life, though it should come as no surprise. But the thing that got her was not that she'd been taken away from her parents, but that she'd been led to believe that they'd hated her. She could have been fine with the truth that she'd been taken to the Centre, if she'd been told at an early age, but to make a child believe that their own parents had abandoned them was something that she could not, and would not tolerate.

   She reached over into the bag at the side of her bed and pulled out the clothes Broots had bought for her. She slipped them on and left her feet bare as she went towards the cabin's bathroom to brush her hair. She could no longer sleep, and perhaps a nighttime walk would calm her nerves and give her peace of mind.

   She went in and grabbed the comb, and began brushing back her short hair. Suddenly the brush caught on something, something on her scalp. She paused, confused, and ran her fingers through the hair in that area. Odd, there was no knot or tangle. She slowly brought the fine comb through once more and it caught in exactly the same area. 

   Parting the hair to one side, she carefully raised her fingers and felt around. Her fingertip then touched something small and cold. Something that oddly felt like metal. Her eyes widened and she grabbed it. After closing her eyes and giving a sharp yank, whatever it was came free, leaving a small cut on the skin of her scalp.

   She looked down at what she held and almost dropped it in fright. It was shaped like a small tick, except that it was made of metal. There was a faintly glowing red light on its side, and it appeared to have been holding on to her skin by six metal appendages that resembled legs.

   It was undoubtedly a tracking device.

   She thought furiously fast back to when the Centre could have placed this on her and her mind went back to when Raines had given her the suitcase with supplies in it. He'd patted her on the head, and by doing so had equipped the Centre with a means of finding her again. She'd **_thought_** that the Centre had been much to trusting…

   But wait, that meant that the Centre now knew where she was, and that could mean that sweepers might be following the signal and that might mean…

   "Jarod." She whispered.

   She dropped the brush and metallic tick on the ground and rushed out into the living room, throwing on the lights and blinding Jarod as he sprung awake. She wasted no time and then shoved open Broots door, shaking him awake and flooding his small room in light. The technician sat up and shielded himself from the change in light, blinking a few time before staring at her with squinted eyes.

"El-Elf 17 what is it?" He yawned.

   "Get up now!" she yelled at him. "Sweepers could be coming at this very moment!"

   **_That_** got his attention. He scrambled out of bad and ended up falling onto the floor, hurrying to get dressed.

   Elf 17 left him to get ready and ran back out to where Jarod was getting his stuff together.

   "Jarod!" He looked over at her. "Raines put a tracking device on me! Its off now but they could have had sweepers following our entire trip. They could very well be coming as we sp-" 

   Suddenly there was pounding at the door, and with her sensitive hearing she could hear orders shouted outside. Jarod jumped and began moving to Broots' bedroom. Elf 17 followed and when the two got there Broots stumbled out, with his shirt on backwards and his shoes untied.

   "What do we do?"  He asked in whisper.

   Elf 17 looked at him, then back in the direction of the door. "Forgive me. " she said quietly, and then jumped up and caught Broots in the head with a well performed kick. She had aimed correctly and he fell to the floor unconscious.

   Jarod realized why she'd done it and helped her drag him into a closet, locking the door, and throwing Broots' backpack in with him.

  The shouts from outside the cabin grew louder and Elf 17 could hear Jarod's pounding heartbeats and the fear rushing through him. 

   "There's a back door," Elf 17 told him. "Take it, I'll try and go out the front."

   "But they're right there!"

   "I can handle myself now go!"

   He looked at her once and then nodded, running with his coat on and the DSA case in hand.

   Elf 17 then whipped around and headed to the living room. The entrance was being forced open and she shut off the lights and crouched next to the door, coiling her muscles.

   _Come on, come on…_

Jarod rushed to the back door, praying that Elf 17 would get away all right. He understood why she'd knocked Broots unconscious and it had been a well-made decision. This way Broots could say that he'd tried to stop Elf 17 from letting him go, but that she'd knocked him unconscious. It was the only way that Broots could remain safe from the Centre's wrath.

   Jarod made it to the back door and flung it open, rushing outside, when the sky seemed to be flooded with lights. He stopped in shock, and shielded himself from the bright glare that was burning his eyes. After blinking once or twice, he saw the silhouette of a man walking towards him purposely. 

   Jarod's heart seemed to clench as he recognized him.

   Lyle stopped and smiled, his hands in his pockets. "Hello again Jarod. Miss me?"

   Jarod made a move to run but one of the sweepers that had been hiding on the sides of the back steps brought the but of his gun forcefully against Jarod's skull.

   Jarod crumpled to the ground, like a balloon that had been popped. At Lyle's signal two men came forward to grab the limp pretenders arms. Lyle pointed to the black car they'd brought, whose headlights had been responsible for Jarod's momentary blindness.

   "Cuff his arms, legs, tie him up, do whatever you can to make sure he can't escape." He growled suddenly. "The fool of a man who lets him escape will lose something very close to him before he's killed."

   The sweepers exchanged wide-eyed looks before setting to work. 

   Lyle cracked his knuckles with a grin. "Now it's time to go check on my trap."

Elf 17 waited patiently beside the door while the men outside banged against it. The door began to give way and she surrendered herself to the transformation.

   The door was flung wide and the sweepers ran in with their guns drawn and flashlights in hand. Elf 17 let out a battle cry and sprung forward, knocking three to the ground before moving outside. 

   _They must have brought more than twenty sweepers, _a voice said in the back of her head as she saw maybe twelve men in black suits and glasses running around in front of her. They all had flashlights and many were wearing night vision goggles. Three began firing shots at her but she didn't need night vision goggles to see in the dark. She was out of their aim before they ever pulled the trigger. 

   She ran with speed and prowess through the dark, her bare feet barely touching the ground before they were once more lifted into the air. Adrenaline coursed through her body, and she moved powerfully with the blood pounding in her ears. She hardly felt the attacks on her skin by the rocks and sticks as she made her way to the forest, where she'd be safe. There were sweepers near the way she was heading and turned to avert them, and headed through a different woods opening. 

   She could hear the loud footsteps behind her and smell that the trail she was on had been used not more than fifteen minutes ago by the sweepers. But she didn't care; perhaps being on the trail they had traveled would help her get out of here easier.

   Bark on a tree next to her seemed to jump off and bite her exposed arm as a poorly aimed bullet sped by. She jumped to the side and began running in a rabbit-like zigzag to evade any stray bullets. 

   She could hear them getting farther and farther away as she poured all of her strength into her running, ignoring the freezing night air that made her lungs ache as she breathed. Sweat trickled down her forehead and back, and her ears trembled to show her exhaustion as she ran.

   She was beginning to feel dizzy when she was yanked up with a powerful might and speed into the air by her feet. She let out a worried cry before she became suspended upside down, hanging helplessly like a fish out to dry.

   She wriggled against the bonds that held her feet so close together, but her movements made the metal rope that held her tighten. She could feel her skin cut into cord and she held back a whimper of pain. Her eyes were still glowing orange and yellow, shining now in the light of the pale and translucent moon above. She'd been caught in a snare that had been set up by the sweepers.

  She heard the footsteps before she saw whom they belonged to. She turned herself as best she could to see who it was, and was slightly surprised to see Lyle standing in front of her with five sweepers at his back. As always, he was wearing an expensive clean pressed dark suit with his black leather gloves.

   He stopped his slow and steady walk towards her and tilted his head to one side quizzically.

   Lyle could easily be thought of as handsome, but all Elf 17 could see was the cold, calculating intelligence behind his deceptively kind blue eyes. She could practically smell the cruel intent behind his smile.

   The sweepers moved out from behind him and formed a circle around Elf 17, their guns drawn. But Elf 17 ignored them and kept her stare focused on Lyle and the bulge of the weapon in his pocket.

   Lyle raised a hand and lowered it slowly and a sweeper began cautiously moving Elf 17 onto the ground using the snare's release rope. Before she was halfway down three sweepers moved towards her and forced her free arms behind her back and cuffed them tightly, though she struggled as much as she could. After they felt her safely secured she was completely lowered onto the ground.

   She hit the dirt roughly on her stomach and once more the guns became trained on her body. Lyle squatted down, holding his hands out in front of him. He was so close to her face that she seemed to be able to see nothing else.

   He raised an eyebrow at her. "Running away from the Centre," he scolded. "Picking up traits from Jarod hmm?" He smiled as he looked at her tightly fitted and slightly revealing black outfit. "My, my even picking up on his **_fashion_** sense."

   Elf 17 slightly bared her teeth and growled, her ears pressed flat against her skull menacingly. "You should be a bit more careful Lyle. Else you gain a new set of scars." She nodded her head as much as she could in the direction of his cheek, which still held the reminder of the time she'd fought with him.

   But unfortunately Lyle didn't respond to the provocation, as she'd wanted him to. Instead, his grin just grew wider.

   "You're hardly in the position to be threatening me girl." He stood slowly and pulled out a gun from his pocket. It glinted in the moonlight and Elf 17 recognized it as a tranquilizer gun.

   Lyle held the weapon in front of him, turning it in his hands, as he seemed to study it. "By the way," he said casually, still looking at the weapon. "Good job on finding and catching Jarod for us." He stopped and turned his gaze towards her, an evil gleam in his eyes. "But I'm sure Raines will thank you himself once we get you two back."

   Elf 17's face paled. _Jarod…_

She closed her eyes, and she rid herself of her transformation, allowing her eyes to return to the color they once were. Tears for the freedom's that would be lost this night fell shamelessly and wet the hard and uncaring ground.

   Lyle took a step back and aimed the tranquillizer at her throat.

   She felt a quick, sharp pain in her neck before her worries faded away with her vision and she went spiraling down into the darkness…

************************************************************************************

Well folks, it's on this bright and cheery note, (**_yeah right_**) that I end this chapter. Talk to you soon I hope and don't forget to tip your storyteller! Feedback is accepted. ;)  


	8. Return To Hell

Disclaimer: I'm just borrowing the characters and plot of the Pretender. Don't worry; I'll put them away when I'm done. Oh and PS, I don't mean anything by what I say about American Airlines. It's all in good fun.

Rating: PG to PG-13. You decide.

Summary: Same as the last seven chapters. In this particular chapter, Broots, Jarod, and Elf 17 discover the consequences of being back at the Centre.

Feedback: (Shadow Elf has been imprisoned by the mage she freed, {ironic huh?}, and is currently locked in the tower of the now-overthrown-king. She is being guarded by only one man.)

   [Pacing] "If I don't get some feedback soon I'll never finish this story and I won't be able to travel to the next world on my list!" [She notices the guard outside her door and smiles slowly.]

   "Hey! Yeah you!"

   (The guard raises his bushy eyebrows)

 "You look like an intelligent fellow. Would you like to hear a story?"

   (She receives a blank look from the guard. It's seems like the only look he's able to give.)

   Guard: Duh, story?

   "Yes."

   Guard: Duh yeah. Story good.

   Shadow Elf gives a grin. _You gotta love inept guards. They just make things _so_ much easier…_

                                      -----**ShadowElfBard**

         **On Your Mark, Get Set, Read!**

2:57 AM

Los Angeles, California

Field In Mountain Range

Centre Issued Car

Broots woke up slowly and groggily and the first thing he became aware of was the throbbing pain in his head. He clutched the spot and groaned.

   "Finally awake I see. Here, take this."

   He was passed two tablets but he didn't take them. The world may still look fuzzy and out of focus, but he wasn't stupid enough to take medicine without knowing what it was.

   Whoever had given him the pills sighed, clearly annoyed. "It's Tylenol. It should help with the massive migraine you now undoubtedly have."

   Broots nodded weakly, the world slowly coming back into focus. He popped the pills into his mouth and downed them with some water that he was passed. As his vision came back to him he turned in the direction of the person who'd given him the pills so that he could thank him, and was greeted by the cold blue eyes of Lyle.

   He almost choked on the water. "M-Mr. Lyle!" he looked around wildly. "W-where am I?"

   "Right now you're in a Centre car. Some of the Sweepers found you knocked unconscious and stuffed like a stiff in a closet." He grinned at him. "You must have made **_somebody_** mad."

   Broots vaguely remembered it. Elf 17 had woken him up warning him that sweepers were on the way. He'd come out and Elf 17 had apologized to him before kicking him upside the head. But wait, why would she do that to him?

   "Uh, Mr. Lyle? What happened exactly?"

   "What happened? I've just guaranteed myself a promotion that's what." He jerked his only thumb in the direction of the back seat. "Look for yourself."

   Broots looked behind him and saw a grated metal barrier separating the back and front of the car. Behind the barrier, was Jarod. He was gagged, tied up in four different places, cuffed, and had a very thick blindfold on. And judging on how motionless he was, he was probably drugged.

   Broots' mouth gaped open as he spun back around, visibly shaken. To see Jarod caught and trussed up was like seeing a proud and vicious tiger shot down, or a wild mustang tamed. It was downright depressing.

   Lyle looked over at Broots through the corner of his eye, watching his reaction with a mental smirk. He'd brought the technician into his car for a reason. Nobody so far knew why Raines' project hadn't turned Jarod in when she'd obviously caught him with ease. Lyle and the Centre wanted to know if Broots had anything to do with it.

   Broots found his voice and his amazement was painfully obvious. "Y-you caught Jarod? That easily?"

   Lyle gave a nod. "Yeah. He ran straight into our trap." He looked out the window and added casually as an afterthought, "the girl too."

   Broots finally understood. Elf 17 had of course been meaning to let Jarod go, she'd told him so herself, but on her own time. When the sweepers had come she and Jarod had been off guard and knocked him out and put him in the closet to…to… to what? Protect him? Of course! **_That's _**Lyle was talking to him about this. He and the Centre know that Elf 17 ha been planning on letting Jarod go and, well obviously, they're worried that he's a part of it. Elf 17 stuck him in the closet to give him an alibi. 

   "Where, uh, is she?" Broots asked as calmly as he could. 

   "She's in the trunk. There's sufficient airflow back there to keep her alive and it keeps her and the lab rat apart should either of them wake up unexpectedly. "

   Broots nodded and inside he was hoping that Elf 17 wasn't hurt. "Hey um, why are we parked here?"

   "The Centre's sending transport. They'll be here in a while." He turned to Broots. "But, while we're waiting, why don't you tell me how you ended up in a closet?"  

   Broots faked an embarrassed look. "Well, the uh, girl was planning on letting Jarod go and when I tried to stop her, I um, got kicked in the head."

   "Mmm." Lyle said, neither believing nor doubting his story.

   Broots was starting to worry. What if he chose not to believe him? What if when he got to the Centre he'd be run through an interrogation? What if- His rapid and scatterbrained thoughts were cut off by a loud roaring outside of the car.

   Lyle sighed. "Finally." He got out and motioned for Broots to follow.

   There were at least twenty sweepers outside, and four other Centre cars. All of the sweepers stood at attention, blending in with the night in the conspicuous black suits. Why the Centre hadn't given them normal clothes to wear when they were searching for Jarod was beyond him. But like hell he was going to question the Centre. **_He_** certainly didn't have a death wish.

     The aircraft landed a bit roughly on the grass and Broots' eyes widened.

   "They sent a commercial airline?"

   "We do have to fit twenty sweepers."

   Yeah but, 'American Airlines'?"

   Lyle gave a grin that seemed to glow in the dark. "Let's just say that the Centre has strange bedfellows."

   "I'll bet." Broots muttered. And as he boarded the plane, he made a mental note that whenever he went on a trip, he would make sure to drive.

6:52 AM

Blue Cove, Delaware

The Centre

SL-27 Holding Block 24

Jarod's eyes slowly crept open, but they just as soon shut again, when he heard voices nearby.

   "Can you take it from here Lyle?" Raines asked wheezing.

   "I may not be as good a doctor as you Raines, but I can handle the lab rat. An injection is nothing big."

   "Strange, I remember you being outwitted by the 'lab rat' before. Did you 'handle him' then also?"

   " I brought him in didn't I?" Lyle retorted angrily.

   "So you did. I'm going to leave this to you then. I have to go get my project started on the testing."

   Lyle chuckled. "Isn't it 'our' project now Raines?"

   "Only if she passes. The Triumvate dictates who will be in charge of her should that happen. But until they do, she is still **_mine."_**

****"Calm down Raines. For the moment I'm perfectly happy sharing Jarod with you." He paused. "But we are in agreement for if she passes the test?"

   "Yes."

   "All right then."

   "Good luck Mr. Lyle." Jarod heard his door being shut and the faint sounds of Raines' oxygen being wheeled down the hall.

   Lyle chuckled to himself. "Luck? I won't need it."

   Jarod watched from under his eyelashes what was happening. His arms were tied behind his back with chord, they were cuffed, and so were his legs and feet. Personally he thought it was an over-kill but, hey, whatever made them feel that he wasn't going to run.

   Lyle motioned for one of the two sweepers in the room to hand him something. As it was passed into Lyle's gloved hand Jarod saw that it was a syringe. He mentally frowned. There was no bottle in the room of what the liquid in the syringe was. It was a clear liquid, and looked very light, no strong odor, which narrowed the possibilities down to oh, maybe five thousand six hundred and thirty seven different chemicals. It could be poison, it could be anesthetic, hell it could be a new type of narcotic. With the Centre you never knew.

   Lyle walked over to who he believed was an unconscious Jarod slowly. He turned Jarod onto his stomach and prepared to inject him with the needle.

   "Say goodbye to those pesky memories of yours lab rat."

   Jarod's eyes snapped open instantly. "No!

   He threw all of his weight into Lyle who was momentarily confused. Lyle fell back onto the floor with an 'oof!' and Jarod began making his way to the door as best he could, the ropes slipped off, but still in cuffs. The sweepers however, moved much easier and faster.

   Jarod caught one in the leg and punched one in the jaw but in the end, they got him up against the wall. Jarod struggled with all of his might against their hold, but to no avail.

   Lyle slowly got up off of the floor, dusting off his pant legs, and muttering to himself. He looked over at Jarod who was seething with hatred.

   "You're going to ruin one of my suits these days you know that?" Lyle said tauntingly. Then he motioned for Jarod's arm and one of the sweepers happily provided it.

   Lyle looked Jarod in the eye, a small smile on his lips. "Goodbye Jarod. Nice knowing you."

   Jarod gave one final surge of strength but it was too late, and the syringe was plunged into his skin. His mouth was open in a wordless scream as his eyes glazed over and he fell to the floor, the chemicals traveling at high speeds through his blood stream.

   Just before his vision black out he had one last thought.

   _I'm sorry Elf 17. I'm so sorry…_

6:54 AM

Blue Cove, Delaware

The Centre

SL-26, Holding Block 14

The first thing that Elf 17 was aware of was the light. Bright, harsh, white light that was shining in her eyes. She quickly closed them, not able to stand the burning sensation, which was kind of strange, because she'd gone through much worse. She just had very sensitive eyes and ears; it was one of the many drawbacks of being a "feral pretender".

   She tried to move and found that she was able to do that well enough. Her ankle and leg muscles were in great pain, thanks to Lyle's snare, so she moved as carefully as she could. She was in Centre clothing again, and she found this as no great surprise. Personal space was a foreign word to them. 

   Her ankle, one that had chord cuts deep in its skin, was wearing the controller anklet Raines had created. She growled at it but made no move to try and rip it off. She knew from experience that that would do more harm than good. 

   She dared to open her eyes and slowly she adjusted to the light. The room was almost pure white, except for the gray stone flooring and her gray metal cot and bathroom area. The entire room was clean, annoyingly so in fact. She sniffed her clothes. Even **_she_** was clean. Her claws had been trimmed and her hair also. The hairstyle was still a bit crazy, but it was shorter, and went only halfway down her neck. She sniffed the room some more and became mildly surprised when she realized that this was her old room at the Centre, it had just been remodeled. That, and the room was no longer hidden in the Centre walls. The door led straight out into an open hall, and anyone who had clearance to the sub levels could easily walk over and see her.

   She moved off of her pathetic excuse for a bed and moved slowly over to the sidewall. She pawed at it, much like a puppy at the door. She heard a slight knock on the other side as a response and she clawed more furiously, but with her claws clipped she could do no more than make soft scratching noises. She was sure that the person she smelled on the other side could hardly even hear them.

   "I'm sorry Angelo." She said quietly, just loud enough for him to hear. "The plaster they've used to block off the air vent is too thick."

   She could almost see the look of innocent confusion on his face as she heard him turn around and leave back through the air vent passageways.

   Elf 17 put her back against the wall and hung her head, coming to terms with her lost freedom. Suddenly her left ear twitched. She brought her head up, her eyes showing the transformation she'd willingly let take partial control over her mind and body.

   The heavy steel door, the only way in or out of her cell, was being unlocked, and she heard the guards outside being told to move out of the way. She moved low to the ground, coiling and tightening her muscles. This was no playful move either; whoever came through that door first was going to wish they hadn't. 

   The door was pushed open and Elf 17 sprung up only to fall to the ground in pain when a searing shock went through her and caused her to slide across the slippery and shining floor. She used her arms to push herself up, gritting her teeth, and she shook her head, trying to rid herself of the buzzing in her ears. She found herself looking up, and met the eyes of Raines, flanked as always by two sweepers, both with tight grips on their guns.

   The cause for the pain that had coursed through her was in Raines' hand and he chuckled, the sound sending ice cold shivers up Elf 17's spine.

   "Ah Elf 17." He said, shaking his head. "How you've changed."

   She growled, keeping a wary eye on the sweepers at his side. "What do you want Raines?"

   Raines caught the angry and rebellious tone of her voice, wondering in the back of his mind if some re-training was in order. "Elf 17, you shouldn't be so angry. You have after all, brought back a man that the Centre and all of its resources couldn't for years. And you've accomplished it in less than a week." 

   She held back the urge to roll her eyes and give him her opinion of his 'capture' using a stream of words that she'd learned out in Vegas. She did not need another electrical shock right now, especially when it would accomplish nothing. She grit her teeth, _come on, you can hate this all you want but you have to find out what is going on. _ She took a silent deep breath and changed back to her normal eye color and mind set. "Mr. Raines, I would like to know what you have come to see me for sir?"

   Raines smiled at her affectation. She wasn't an idiot, not by a long shot. She knew what he wanted to hear in her voice and what he wanted to see in her actions. She wouldn't disappoint him, not at the moment anyhow. "The Triumvate and Centre are both very pleased with your success."

   _You mean _your_ success. _I'm_ nothing but the project, _Elf 17 thought testily. "What would the Centre and Triumvate be wanting sir?"

   "They want to find out just how 'successful' you can be."

   She backed her ears in slight fear. No. No. This wasn't what was supposed to happen. She had been supposed to bring Jarod in, (though that hadn't happened on purpose), and the Centre was supposed to leave her alone. They and Raines were supposed to play with their new toy and leave her the heck **_alone_**! 

   _Naïve fool, _she chided herself. _You knew what was going to happen from the beginning. Either you failed and Raines decided whether to kill you or not, or you succeeded and they became impressed. You knew that the Centre doesn't ignore or waste _anything_ that they think can be of use to them. You set yourself up for this fall, and there is nothing to keep you from slamming your face into the mud. _

Raines watched her internal struggle with slight interest and smiled. He'd been in a much happier mood since last night when she and Jarod were brought in with Lyle and his sweepers. The Triumvate had promoted both him and Lyle considerably, and he'd heard from the director that when the pursuit team was disbanded, Sydney wouldn't be in charge of Jarod. He and Lyle would. Actually, should Elf 17's test come out as good as he hoped it would, he and Lyle would also be in charge of Elf 17. It would give both of them added power, and at the Centre, power was **_life_**. 

   Elf 17 calmed herself down with effort, and asked the question. "What exactly do they want me to **_do _**sir?"

   "There was a test, a number of different tests actually, that Jarod took when he was first brought to the Centre. The scores were from the tests were added together to give an approximate value of his intelligence and Pretending skill." He raised an eyebrow at her, noting that her face was now drained of color. "The Centre and Triumvate think it a good idea to have **_you_** take these tests to give an approximate value of **_your_** intelligence and Pretending skill."  

   Elf 17 wished she could get past the morals and ethics she had so that she could slice open his oxygen tube. That raspy breathing of his was really getting on her nerves.

   Raines continued. "So you are going to take this test Elf 17. And you are going to do your extreme best on it."

   _Who says? _She thought bitterly__

"If for one moment I doubt how much effort you are putting into this than I will have to resort to other methods." He looked her straight into her eyes and she felt the need to look away. "Namely, hurting that technician from the old pursuit team."

   "B-Broots sir?" She felt her heart begin to race. "What do you mean?"

   "You know my meaning perfectly well. You purposely screw up on this test, and either Broots or his daughter will pay the price."

   _Oh god. Oh god Broots…_

   "Also, the technician is currently on suspicion of having tried to help Jarod escape. You know perfectly well what happens to those who don't have what's best for the Centre in mind."

   She looked at the ground. She knew. Oh god did she know. 

   "But," she looked up. "But, if you happen to do exceptionally well, I will personally clear his good name. He does have an alibi, and though right now that means nothing, if the Triumvate and I like your performance he will be spared. "

   She closed her eyes. If it meant saving Broots, she'd take their damn test. She'd spend the rest of her life doing sims. Whatever it took to help him she'd do it in a heartbeat. 

   "Sir," she said, hardly trusting her own voice, "I guarantee that you and the Triumvate will have nothing to fear about my performance on the test." She swallowed uncomfortably. "You will receive my personal best, and no less."

   Raines gave a smile and for a moment, he remarkably resembled a jackal. "Good. Let's go."

   "Now sir?"

   He glared at her and she wanted ever so much to sigh.

   "Yes sir."

   Raines walked out, protected by the two sweepers, and the sweepers who had been guarding Elf 17's door grabbed her arms to "escort" her to the sim lab, were the tests would be done.

   As they walked down the hall Elf 17 frowned glumly, her gaze on the floor. "Welcome back to Hell," She muttered under her breath. "Enjoy your stay."

7:05 AM

Blue Cove, Delaware

The Centre

Ex-Pursuit Team's Main Office

 "Dad!"

   "Debbie!"

   The two ran at each other, father and daughter, and became enveloped in a hug. Broots stroked her brown hair saying he was sorry about a million times until Debbie laughed and told him to stop and that he was embarrassing her.

   The hug was broken and Broots turned to Ms. Parker, the largest and goofiest grin on his face. He swallowed.

   "I-I don't know how to thank you. This is, I mean-"

   Ms. Parker groaned. "It's **_all right_** Broots! It wasn't that big a deal. Besides," she looked over at Debbie with a smile that rarely graced her features. "She and I had a good time."

   "Yeah dad!" Debbie chimed in. "Ms. Parker and Sam took me shopping! At the mall!' She leaned over conspiratorially.  "She made Sam try on a dress."

   Broots gave Ms. Parker a shocked look, and beside her, an amused Sydney chuckled.

   Ms. Parker gave an evil grin. "Well how else was I supposed how it looked?"

   Broots had to laugh, the thought of the stony faced sweeper in a dress was too much for him.

   "Hey dad?" Debbie asked him.

   "Yes?"

   "If it's okay with Ms. Parker can we stop by her house tonight? The clothes she bought me are still there."

   Broots swung around to look at Ms. Parker. "Y-you bought her clothes?"

   "You can't expect her to wear clothes from Wal-mart all her life. Besides, she needed some more…female items; things that being a man, you couldn't buy for her."

   "But Ms. Parker you didn't have to do that! I'll pay you back."

   Ms. Parker put on her ice queen face. "Oh no you don't! As your boss, I order you not to even **_think_** about paying me back. Is that understood?"

   "But-"

   "Is that understood?"

   Broots sighed and smiled. "Yes Ms. Parker."

   "Good."

   Debbie and Sydney held back laughs as they watched the two. Debbie looked over at Sydney and Sydney winked at her. 

   The she turned to her dad. "Hey dad, I'm really hungry. Do you think we could go out for breakfast?"

   Broots opened his mouth to answer, and then closed it again, suddenly looking very sad. "I-I- uh..."

   Sydney's brow furrowed, noticing that Broots seemed to be holding back tears. Something was wrong. He cleared his throat.

   "Debbie?"

   "Yes Sydney?"

   "You remember me showing you my office?"

   She nodded.

   "Well I have recently put a TV in there. I have to talk to your father about something for a moment, would it be all right if you went and watched something?"

   "Okay."

   Ms. Parker walked over to her. "Come on, let me take you there."

   After Ms. Parker came back in Broots looked over at her.

   "Is she safe in there?"

   "I have Sam guarding the door. Not even the Triumvate is allowed to go in."

   Broots let out a sigh of relief. " Oh thank god."

   "Now Broots, what's wrong?" Sydney asked, slipping into his 'psych' mode.

   Broots lip trembled and after swallowing he said softly, "I'm not allowed to leave the Centre."

7:35 AM

Blue Cove, Delaware

The Centre

Sim Lab

Elf 17 gazed around frantically. "It, it's really dark. I can't see who's coming." She shook with fear. "I can hear the person, coming closer, their footsteps echo down the empty street. I walk faster, I keep looking back but I can't see. I can't see anyone!"

   "What do you do?" Raines asked.

    "I get so frightened, I'm alone. There are no houses. I thought I'd be safe. I was just going for a walk…"

   "What happens?"

    "I look behind me again and I see someone. It's a man. He's dressed in street clothes. He's sort of far away, but he's walking fast. He's walking towards me. And…oh my god!  He has a knife! He has a knife in his hand! "

    "Then what?"

   "I scream, I start to run and drop my purse on the ground. I hope that he'll stop, that he'll take it and leave me alone, but he keeps coming. He keeps moving towards me and his eyes, oh lord his eyes are so cold! So empty!"

   "Where do you run?"

   "My mind races, I can't think clearly. I'm screaming for help, but there's no one. I just run, and I run, and he gets closer. I stay on the road, it's the only place I know I might be safe. I'm crying and I scream, but I'm alone, so alone…"

   "Then?"

   "I keep running, I'll run until my lungs burst, but then, then I trip. There was a branch, I didn't see it. I trip, and I skid on the pavement and I try to get up, but he comes closer and I keep screaming but no one hears me. No one's there." Her head, which had been drooping suddenly shoots up, and her eyes grow wide with terror. "He's coming closer! Oh God, he's right here! I can't run! I can't move! The knife! He's raising the knife!" she let out a scream, and Raines flinched in spite of himself. 

   Elf 17 began convulsing on the ground and Raines quickly grabbed the remote to her controller anklet. He pressed the pad and sent a minor shock through her system. She stopped moving, her own psyche coming back to her. She moved onto her hands and knees and she felt like retching. She swallowed, trying to keep down the bile rising in her throat and then got up shakily.

   Raines stood in front of her, and behind him was the screen of a projector, on which was a slide of a murdered woman who'd been stabbed to death. Sweepers were on either side of him, and some looked really shaken up. They had never seen a sim before.

   Elf 17 looked as Raines glanced up at the large two-way mirror behind Elf 17. Inside were seated various higher ups in the Triumvate and Tower who'd judged the same testing on Jarod years ago. 

   Raines finally gazed back at Elf 17. "Your sim tests are done. There is now a written test for you to take."

   Elf 17 just blinked, incredulous. They'd just gone through six tests. Three of which were extremely violent simulations. Now he wanted another one? But hey, let him give her a test. It keeps her out of her cell.

   She trudged over to a seat at the desk, and awaited the test.

8:39 AM

Blue Cove, Delaware

The Centre

Sim Lab

The sweepers had already taken Elf 17 back to her "room", and Raines was behind the two-way glass talking to the judges about his projects performance.

   Lyle was seated comfortably in a chair at a desk, watching one of the DSA's that had just been taken of Elf 17's sim tests. In the one he was watching she was pretending to be a victim of a rape. He turned the player off nonchalantly and stood up when Raines came in, and walked over to him smoothly.

   "So what did the judges have to say?"

   Raines laughed. "The 'judges' could hardly **_say_** anything."

   Lyle smirked. "I take it we're in business?"

   "Yes. How did it go with Jarod?"

   "He should be as malleable as clay by now. So far the techs watching the security cameras in his cell say that he doesn't remember a damn thing about his past."

   "Let's hope it stays that way."

8:44 AM

Blue Cove, Delaware

The Centre

SL-27 Holding Cell 24

The nameless man looked up from his position on the cot. He felt strange, like there was static all over his nerves. And he couldn't for the life of him remember who he was.

   The door opened, and a man came in. There was another man with him, and two men in black suits and sunglasses. The first men seemed to spark a memory in his mind, but the memory eluded him. Ah well, it probably isn't that important anyways.

   "Hello sir." the nameless man said politely. He'd been given a tape earlier by a man in a black suit and black glasses and the tape had told him a **_little_** of what he needed to know. He was to address everyone as either sir or madam, and he's something called a "pretender". He supposedly works here trying to help people with his special talents. He's been here since he was a child and this was how life was supposed to be.

   "Hello there." The first man said, smiling pleasantly. "Let me introduce myself. My name is Mr. Lyle. My colleague Mr. Raines and I are your caretakers."

    "What would you like Mr. Lyle?"

   It was all Lyle could do to keep from jumping up and down and clapping his hands like a happy child. Raines looked like tearing out his oxygen tube and dancing in the rain.

   "Sir?" The nameless man asked awkwardly. "Is something wrong?"

   "Why would you think that something's wrong?"

   The man without a name looked down at his shoes and twiddles his thumbs. "Not to be disrespectful sir, but Mr. Raines looks like he's about to cry."

   Lyle spun around and indeed, Raines looked so happy that his eyes were watering, though the man wiped at them angrily with his sleeve.

   "Uh, he had onions with breakfast. Now," Lyle said quickly, a bit worried himself. "You know what a pretender is?"

   "Yes sir."

   "Well, we need you to perform a sim. Can you do that?"

   "Yes sir but…" He looked at him earnestly. "I don't remember my name. I was wondering…if it's all right with you…could I have one?"

   Lyle looked at Raines in confusion but Raines promptly answered, "your name is CP 1."

   CP 1's eyes sparkled. "Wow. CP 1…"

   "Yes, yes it's a wonderful name. " Lyle said, waving away the issue. "Now, if you'll just go with these men," he pointed to the sweepers, "they'll take you to the Sim Lab."

   CP 1 nodded and followed the sweepers out, still smiling about his name, and Lyle and Raines walked out after him, taking their time.

   Lyle looked over at Raines. "Are you sure that the chemical you prepared for him didn't switch his psyche with a three-year-old's?"

   "Yes I'm sure." Raines snarled back. "His mind has just been violently accosted by a foreign chemical. It's only natural that his mind creates defensive and coping barriers. His barrier is by reverting to the simple and uncomplicated view of a young boy. Actually, it's better for us because he'll be more trusting."

   "Ah." Said Lyle in understanding. He stuck his hands into his pockets. "What's with the name? CP 1?

   "It stands for Centre's Pretender. I thought it fitting."

   "Yes." Lyle then smiled cruelly. "Oh and Raines? Were my eyes deceiving me or were you holding back tears in there? Getting a little emotionally attached to our subject?"

   "I had something in my eye!" Raines snapped at him.

   "Uh huh, sure." Lyle scoffed, and then walked on ahead.

   Raines growled. "Even when Jarod's memory is erased he manages to make a fool out of me."

   He sighed and continued walking down the hall.

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Well, it is here that I-

[Shadow Elf runs on]

   "Hey you haven't seen any freaky mages around here have you?"

Me: Uh, nooo.

   "Good. Sorry to interrupt."

  [She runs off]

Okaaay. That was weird. Anyways, talk to you guys soon I hope! Feedback is encouraged so don't be stingy!


	9. The Sky Is Falling

Disclaimer: No part of this story, with the exceptions of my characters and my plot, are mine. So please don't send your blood-sucking hounds of hell, (aka lawyers), after me.

Rating: A PG-13 probably. Not sure.

Summary: Nope. Not his time. No surprises, no nothing! (Besides, I've run out of plot summaries.)

Feedback: (Shadow Elf has escaped the mage, {by the way, his name is Maverick} and is now hiding in a secret basement of a peasant who was kind enough to hide her. She has gained the feedback she required to travel to the next realm, and now needs to get to the portals summoning area)

   "Thanks again for letting me hide here until things die down."

Peasant man: No problem. Anything to get back at Maverick.

[There is a pounding at the door and Shadow Elf quickly hides. The peasant opens the door and five of Maverick's soldiers are there]

Soldier: We have reason to believe that a bard is hiding here. Do you know anything?

PM: (innocently) No.

[In basement] "God, please don't let this man screw up."

Soldier: we'll give you twenty gold pieces for her location.

PM: No way bub.

(Still praying) "Please god, **_please_** don't let him screw up."

Soldier: We'll throw in five chickens.

PM: [rubs chin] Five chickens eh?

[Shadow Elf groans] "**_Somebody_** up there **_clearly_** doesn't like me."

                                                                                                                   -----**ShadowElfBard**

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                                **I thought I saw the story! I did, I did see the story!**

11:38 AM

Blue Cove, Delaware

The Centre

Broots' Computer In Ex-Pursuit Teams Main Office

Broots felt horrible inside. He'd told Ms. Parker and Sydney about the suspicions of the Centre, and how they thought he'd been planning on letting Jarod escape. He hadn't told them though; that that was exactly what he had been planning on doing.

   Part of him felt bad for not telling them the whole truth. After all, they were as close to being friends as you could come in the Centre. But the other part, the one he'd chosen to listen to, had told him that no mater how close you got, you couldn't fully trust anyone here. 

   The thing that had surprised him though, was that **_neither Sydney or Ms. Parker had known about Jarod's capture!_**

   And when Ms. Parker had found out that **_Lyle _**had been the one to bring him in, she'd almost gone off to grab her gun and kill him. She probably would have to, if Broots hadn't pleaded with her not to. Thus far Debbie didn't know that Broots was being held here against his will. He tried to keep his daughter from learning about his true job as much as possible. If she saw Ms. Parker, (her idol and role model), yelling at her own brother about Jarod and how she was supposed to be the one to capture him, well, Debbie wasn't dumb. She'd figure that something was going on.

   Ms. Parker had felt so sorry for him that she'd asked him to, well actually **_ordered,_** him to let her take Debbie out to breakfast and to continue watching her until the Centre let him leave.**** 

   Sydney's reaction to the news had of course been well veiled, but Broots had seen the sorrow in the man's eyes, and the spark of anger that he'd not been informed. He'd gone straight down to he Director's office and when he'd returned Ms. Parker was out having breakfast with Debbie. After Broots had been told what the Director had said to Sydney though, he was glad that Ms. P hadn't been there to hear it.

   Sydney had told him through clenched teeth that Raines and Lyle were in charge of Jarod, and that Sydney had a new set of orders never to contact Jarod in or out of the Centre. Ever. The ex-pursuit teams' reassignments would be given out later, and everyone was to calmly and quietly get settled into their new positions and not think at all about their former objective. Jarod was, as the director had put it, no longer their concern.

   If Ms. Parker had heard that, no one could have stopped her from reaching for her .44. 

   So, Broots was now sat, bored out of his mind, in a chair at a computer that had been his loyal and trustworthy companion for nearly two years, finally having to say goodbye. 

   "Good bye old buddy," he said, tapping the monitor fondly. "It's been fun."

    He suddenly heard footsteps behind him and turned expecting Sydney. Instead, he saw his own reflection in the dark sunglasses of a sweeper.

   "W-Willie?"

   Willie sighed. "I'm sorry Broots. I have orders from Raines."

   Another sweeper came forward. "Come on Willie. Just take the tech and let's go. We need to get him to the room the doc ordered us to bring him."

   Willie reached for Broots' arm, but Broots swallowed and shook his head. "No. Th-That's okay. I'll come."

   The other sweeper shrugged. "Suit yourself. Just follow me and Willie."

   "Will I need anything?"

   "No."

   Broots gulped and followed them out, wondering what the hell he'd gotten himself into.

11:44 AM

Blue Cove, Delaware

The Centre

SL-26 Holding Block 14

Elf 17 paced back and forth restlessly, her agitation growing by the second. She was constantly shifting in and out of transformation and kept curling and uncurling her fingers. She felt so anxious. She had so much energy in her that was screaming to be released that it was almost painful. She felt like shredding up her blanket or biting down on leather. 

   She'd tried to get rid or her excess energy by playing with the new security camera, and for a while it had worked.

   A new motion dependant security camera had been installed and it was smaller and more hi-tech than the old black and white, fixed position camera that had been in. This one was behind a bullet proof glass casing that had a large enough radius to allow the camera to move quickly and without hindrance. It was programmed to follow her every movement and was pretty fast. She'd leapt from the ground to the bed off of the wall to the sink, moving swiftly and hardly making a sound. The camera had been good, but she'd evaded it more than once. 

   Soon, she'd gotten bored. She didn't know why she was unable to relax. She thought she knew half of it, but knew that the reason she'd come up with wasn't **_all_** of it. Her explanation was that she was worried for Broots. After all, what else could it be? 

   _You know. _An annoying little voice taunted her. _You're worried for Jarod_

She waved the thought away. It was ridiculous. Just because **_she_** couldn't find a way out of this dump didn't mean that **_he _**couldn't. He was after all, the master Pretender. She'd be extremely surprised if he was even in this **_state_** right now. 

    Yes, Lyle had teased her and said that he'd been caught. Yes, Raines had thanked her for bringing him in, but she still didn't fully believe them. And like hell she was going to pretend to be either one of them to find out. Becoming either of those two would just be…wrong. Very, very sick and wrong.

   So, she was going to stick with being worried about Broots and whether or not her performance on the test was enough to keep him safe. Raines had told her that she'd be informed once the results were back in, but she didn't trust that man as far as she could throw his oxygen tank. Which was why she was surprised when sweepers came in to take her to the exercise room.

   She was thrust in the room forcefully but easily kept her balance. The two sweepers shut and guarded the doors and she curled her lip at them before turning her attention to Raines. Her eyes flared with brief anger when she realized that Lyle was seated next to him.

   "Well?" She asked Raines calmly, her reaction at seeing Lyle well hidden.

   Raines laughed. "That eager to find out?"

   "I'd like to know whether or not Mr. Broots has to die," she answered coldly, doing an impression of an 'ice queen' with as much intensity as Ms. Parker herself could do it. She briefly wondered if her agitation and worry were affecting her mood but she ignored the pesky thought.

   Raines was quiet for a moment and Elf 17 looked over at Lyle. Their eyes locked and the two glared each other down, both with their own personal reasons of loathing for the other.

   "Well," Raines said slowly, drawing her attention towards him. " Based on your tests, the judges have reached a most delightful conclusion."

   Elf 17's heartbeat quickened. _He's not supposed to be this happy…_

"Let me congratulate you Elf 17," Raines said smirking. "Your approximate intelligence and pretender skills are officially Jarod's equal."

   She had to remind herself to breathe. "I-I'm sorry sir. Perhaps I misunderstood. Are you saying that I am at Jarod's level?"

   "That is precisely what I am saying."

   She felt like collapsing. Not out of joy, but out of pure and uncontrollable terror. She'd known that passing the test would turn out to be a double-edged sword, but she hadn't guessed that the edges would be so sharp.

   "There has to be some mistake. I am not, I'm-"

   Lyle looked like he was holding back a laugh and Raines frowned. "Really Elf 17, you should be happy. You are Jarod's equal, if not his better."

   "Sir, I can't be. I mean he's, I'm-"

   Lyle grinned. "I don't think I've ever seen a pretender go speechless before."

   She snapped her head around to glare daggers at him. "And what exactly are **_you_** doing here Mr. Lyle?" she growled, memories of hanging upside down from a snare and meeting his icy gaze running rampant through her mind.

   "Mr. Lyle is here as a result of your score." Raines told her.

   Her eyes narrowed. "What?"

   "The director wanted me to oversee Jarod's reintroduction but I wouldn't have had enough time to work with both projects. So Lyle and myself are now in charge of both of you."

   Elf 17 blanched. "Jarod's still here?"

   Raines looked at her in half-fury. "Of course he is! Do you have that little faith in the Centre?"

   _Yes. _"No, I'm just amazed that the Centre could be so…resourceful."

   She couldn't think of anything more to say. Raines had basically told her that the sky was falling and she'd begun to feel the pieces hitting her head. 

   Raines began walking to the door and the sweepers moved aside for him. "Mr. Lyle will be in charge of your physical stimulation, exercising and such. I will come for you tomorrow to take you to a new room that is being prepared."

   "A new room? But you just remolded my old one."

   "Yes, but you're now an extremely profitable investment. We can't have you remaining in SL-26. You'll have to be transferred down to SL-27. Enjoy your exercise." Then he was gone.

   Lyle smiled at her, and she groaned.

12:00 PM

Blue Cove, Delaware

The Centre

Interrogation Room

Broots swallowed nervously against his rising fear as the doctor who'd hooked him up to the lie detector test prepared to look over his results. 

   _Oh God, oh God, oh God, oh God…_

If he wasn't a religious man before, he was now.

    The entire interrogation had gone exactly as Broots had expected it to, and his expectations hadn't been very high to begin with. He'd come in followed closely by the sweepers and had stared into eyes that seemed devoid of any emotion beside and mild curiosity. He was a doctor, (about as close to a doctor as Raines was), and Broots had felt much like a sheep in the wolf's den. He also had a thin, smaller looking man as an assistant who, during the test, had never once looked in his direction.

  He'd been hooked up to a lie detector, with electrodes on his forehead and arms, and he'd ordered his hands to keep from shaking too visibly. They'd disobeyed.

   "So, Mr. Broots" the doctor had said, sitting across from him in a chair. The assistant had stood by a computer screen, watching the test as it ran its course. "Let's do a test run shall we?"

   "Uh, sure. Okay." He'd responded meekly.

   "Answer yes to this question, are you the Pope?"

   "Yes?" Broots had said in light-hearted confusion.

   "Lie." The assistant had said in a monotone. "Test successful."

   The doctor had smiled. "Good, now on to the real questions. Answer truthfully from now on Mr. Broots, and please don't make any comments as to what my assistant is saying."

   "Oh, o-okay."

   "Did you stay with Elf 17 during the entire trip?"

   "No."

   "Truth." The assistant had said.

   "Did she leave you more than once?"

   "No."

   "Truth."

   The doctor had nodded in confirmation. "When she had left you, did you know where she was going?"

   "No." Broots answered truthfully.   

   "Had she gone after Jarod?"

   "Yes."

   "Were her reasons at the time of going after him to bring him back to the Centre?"

   "I-I'm not sure. I think so." He'd begun to sweat then, and the rest of the questions had focused mainly on what had been spoken of at the cabin. Broots had had to lie a few times, and was **_certain _**that it had shown up on the screen. 

   That had been over twenty minutes ago. The doctor had already been handed the data by his stone-faced assistant and was now going to input it into the computer to get a printout of the results.

   Broots sat nervously in the chair, the only thing keeping him from jumping down onto his knees and confessing were thoughts of his daughter. He would stay strong, if for no one but her.

   He heard the printer starting up when there was a knock at the door. The doctor frowned and waved his assistant over, and the small man nearly jumped out of his skin at who stood in the doorway.

   "M-Mr. Raines! Oh p-p-please, come, come in." He scurried out of the way and looked at his boss in wide-eyed terror.

   Broots was frightened himself, and remained looking down at his shoes. But the hair on his neck rose as he felt Raines gazing at him. He knew that the scary "wheeze-bag" hadn't forgotten whom it had been who'd thrown him in front of the T-board meeting.

   Broots sat silent, but keeping his ears open as to why Raines was here.

   "Mr. Raines," the doctor greeted with false pleasantry. "I've finished the test as you've ordered. The results are print-"

   "There has been a change of plans." Raines wheezed. " You are to give me the information you are now printing and let Mr. Broots attend his new assignment. He is now allowed to leave the Centre."

   He looked over at Broots and Broots reluctantly met his gaze. "You, Mr. Broots, are free to go."

   Broots perked up. "You mean I can quit? As in forever?"

   Raines gave an amused chuckle. "Don't be an idiot Mr. Broots. I meant that you are no longer under Centre orders to remain in this building after work hours." 

   "Oh."

   The doctor looked horrified however.  "B-but sir! We were going to run him through an interrogation next and-"

    "Are you questioning my orders?"

   The doctor paled at the thought. "N-no sir."

   "Good." 

   Raines turned and raised an eyebrow at Broots, and Broots got the message.

   "Th-thank you Mr. R-Raines." 

   "Don't thank me just yet."

   Broots held back a shudder and then scurried out as fast as his legs could carry him. 

   Mr. Broots had just become a firm believer in the Lord.

12:04 PM

Blue Cove, Delaware

The Centre

Exercise And Training Facility

Elf 17 no longer needed to release any excess energy. In fact she was doing her best to retain what little she had left. Lyle had worked her, and was still working her, non-stop. There were treadmills set at speeds that she thought no treadmill would even have on their control settings. She'd climbed up and down ropes, lifted barbells, and had done enough chin-ups, push-ups, and sit-ups to make the sweepers look like little girls with pigtails. 

   And all the time Lyle had been there. Yelling at her, taunting her, daring her to make a move. She had been able to hold back so far, but that was only because she was able to envision what might happen to Broots if she screwed up.

   "Break!' Lyle finally yelled at her, as she completed her seventy-fifth one-armed push-up.

   "About time." She grumbled.

   She staggered over to him, trying to stand as tall as she could, but nearly tripping over her own feet. She sat in a chair and was handed a water bottle. She raised it to her lips, but paused. She sniffed the water and then seemingly satisfied, slowly downed its contents.

   She felt tired, but happier now that she had the cool water in her system. Her eyes slowly began closing and she would have drifted off to a peaceful slumber if Lyle hadn't ruined it. As usual.

   "Ah, ah, ah." He scolded, wagging a finger. "No sleeping until we're done here."

   She instantly snapped awake. "We're not done yet?!"

   "Not by a long shot."

   She stood up in fury. "What more could you possibly have me do?!"

   He narrowed his eyes. "You'd be surprised."

   "I doubt it." She spat. 

   Lyle looked calmly at the hate coming off of her in waves. He then snapped his fingers and Elf 17 stared at him in confusion before the back of a gun was rammed against her skull. 

   She hit the ground, still conscious, and carefully turned her head around to see both sweepers from the door standing behind her, one of them holding a gun in his hand. She felt her control over her transformation lessen and closed her eyes to concentrate. _Don't do this. Think of Broots, think of Broots…_

The two sweepers reached down and grabbed her arms, hauling her to her feet without any resistance. She kept her transformation in check but that didn't stop her from giving Lyle a death glare.

He took a step towards her and then smiled before punching her square in the jaw. Elf 17 winced at the heavy blow but didn't cry out. Lyle firmly took her chin in his gloved hand and gave her a patronizing look. She could feel the blood in her mouth and knew it was possible that she now had a loose tooth.

   He leaned forward, his hot breath surrounding her so thickly that she almost choked on it. "I'm going to give you fair warning right now. Your life, what little of it you had before, is gone. Say goodbye to it. You wanted the attention of the Centre, and now you have it."

    She had a strong urge to tell him that she had never wanted any attention, and would be more than happy left alone and forgotten in a dark corner of one of the sublevels, but resisted it and allowed him to finish speaking.

   "So I'm going to lay down the rules right now and make this real easy to understand. The Centre owns you, has for a long time. You have no say in anything that happens to you. You have no thoughts about what we do with you that matter. You are a commodity. An expensive and rare commodity that could be bought or sold at anytime. If we choose to break your arm, then we are going to break your arm. Simple as that. You don't talk back, and you don't fight back."

   She swallowed some of the blood in her mouth to be able to speak without it dribbling down her chin. "I-I don't think that Raines would approve of that."

    He let go of her chin and gave a mixed laugh of exasperation. He shook his head. "For a pretender you don't know much do you?" He got right up in her face again. "Raines is no longer your biggest concern or provider. He and I are now have equal ownership rights. You are as much mine, as you are his." He traced a finger lovingly down her cheek and she fought against recoiling in disgust. "I don't have to pass what I choose to do by Raines. As long as you remain alive and able to sim, I'm off the hook."

   He stepped back away from her and went to get something from a table. 

   Elf 17 directed her hate at the floor, not trusting her control enough not to rip out Lyle's throat. It was as she was staring that she heard an odd click, and felt her controller anklet fall off. She looked at her ankle in confusion, and saw that she had indeed been liberated from the metal band.

   She gazed up and saw Lyle holding the control pad to her band. He'd released her from it but why would he-

   Then she saw what he had in his other hand and her face paled. She let a savage cry escape her throat and became blinded by her transformation. She fought against the sweepers viciously, and they struggled with all of the strength in them to keep a firm hold on her arms. Lyle just walked over casually, a grin on his lips. She bared her teeth at him and tried to lunge but was still held back. The two sweepers knocked her onto her knees and one grabbed her hair and pulled back on her head, exposing her pale white throat. 

   Lyle then fastened the metal collar around her neck and snapped it shut. The two sweepers released her and she made a move to run at Lyle but was halted by the constricting metal on her neck, and the electrical shock going through her nerves. It was so painful. She collapsed on the ground and started shaking wildly, but still Lyle kept his hand on the pad. 

   When he was apparently satisfied he stopped, and she remained laying on the ground, her hands clenched in fists of fury and despair, as her head hung low and silent sobs racked her small and almost fragile looking body. 

   Lyle sneered at he sight. "We'll finish the exercise tomorrow." He said coldly, and after giving the sweepers orders to take her back to her room, strode confidently out.

   Elf 17 hardly even felt it as they dragged her back down to her cell. She was in too much pain, and the humiliation of being collared, like the wild animal she'd always strived to control, was worse than any physical torture than Lyle could have devised. And worst of all, the bastard knew it too.

   And because of the focus she had on her pain, she never heard the scrambling and frantic murmuring in the air vents above her.

   "Jar-Jarod forgotten, in pain. Elf hurts, hurts real bad. Must get help from friends. Friends must help."

    And then Angelo scurried along, a man on a mission.

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**_So, so, so, so, so, so, so, so _**sorry for this being late. Please don't hold it against me. [Shows audience puppy pouting face] How can you ignore this look? How can you- Hey? Hey! Hey where are you going? No, wait! Come baaaaaaaack!!!  


	10. Plans For Chaos

Disclaimer: Why can't you people just leave me alone? Haven't you crushed enough of my dreams already? I know I don't own it but you don't have to rub it in…

Rating: PG or PG-13. I'm not sure why all of my stories are so nice and kid approved, but I think it has something to do with the fact that I'm still not allowed to watch R rated movies. Sad huh?

Summary: Okay I think I have a summary for this one. (Clears throat.) In this chapter Angelo runs off to contact the "friends" he mentioned in the last chapter, and when a certain one finds out what's been done, what needs to be done is realized and Chaos tries to break free of its chains. 

**_Author's note!!!: _** Thank you ever so much for your reviews, you guys are the best!

Feedback: (ShadowElf managed to escape Maverick's soldiers by a stroke of luck, and is halfway to the portal summoning area she needs to be at. She is traveling by farms at the moment, and notices a horse.) _Hmm. I do have some miles to go; perhaps this kind and noble creature will assist me. _[She walks over to the fence and holds out her hand for the horse to smell.] That's it girl or uh, boy. [She climbs onto the fence and prepares to get onto the horse] Easy now, easy… [She jumps on and the horse whinnies and rears, then begins galloping like crazy all around the fenced area.] AHHHH!!! [The horse moves to the side of the fence and bucks Shadow Elf off, who flies through the air and lands face down in a patch of mud. She sputters and coughs and then raises her head with fury in her eyes]

   Kind and noble creature my ass…

**_Quote:_** (This is a new part I'm adding to my usual Disclaimer, Rating, {etc} lineup)  

   "A writer doesn't die of heart failure, but of typographical errors."----Isaac Bashevis Singer                                                                                                 

                                                                                                       --------**ShadowElfBard**

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4:34 PM

Blue Cove, Delaware

The Centre

Ex-Pursuit Team's Main Office

Ms. Parker looked around at the near empty room and sighed. It had been increasingly hard to keep up her "ice queen" image over the past few days with all that had happened. She had to admit, she was worried. She'd been worried for Broots when he'd told her he couldn't leave. It had scared her. Her, the independent and icy woman that could with a mere glance send people cowering in fear behind their desks, had been scared. 

    Then when she'd found out that Jarod had been brought back, by god she'd wanted to blow her brothers brains out! But at the same time, a small, faintly glowing fire kept burning inside of her since childhood, became filled with immense sorrow. Though no one here would ever know it, not even Dr. Freud, she…felt, something for Jarod. She hadn't even been sure for the past few months if she'd be able to bring him in if she had the chance. Well, she didn't have to worry about that now. She wouldn't have to worry about him at all seeing as she was being moved up to corporate. 

   She smiled grimly. Yes, her dear father had decided that since she hadn't brought Jarod in, she still couldn't leave. But he cared **_ever_** so much for his "angel", (yeah right), that he'd given her orders to move to one of the higher up branches in the Centre. She also noticed ironically, that it was far, far away from Jarod. What a coincidence.

   She heard someone come in and saw Sydney and Broots enter, probably coming back to clear out their desks and move on to their new positions.

   "Hello Broots, Freud." She said, acknowledging each in turn.

   Sydney gave her a small smile. "Hello to you Ms. Parker."

   Broots gave a nervous grin and just acknowledged her with a wave.

   Ms. Parker walked over to them slowly, her arms crossed. "So. What pathetic excuse for jobs were you two saddled with?"

   Sydney frowned angrily. "I'll be working with some of the patients in the Centre infirmary who need psychological treatment or who are working with hypo-kinetic conditions."

   Broots shuffled his feet. "I've been let off the hook of the Centre's suspicions, but they're moving me to work with the other techs on the third floor." His hands shook with frustration. "Third floor techs! It's, why it's downright demeaning! They **_know_** I can do better than that but those, those, paranoid bastards are still afraid that I've betrayed them."

   Ms. Parker and Sydney both stared at Broots in shock. 

   "Wow Broots," Ms. Parker said tauntingly, "it seems that the trip you took with that project of Raines grew you a backbone."

   "I'll say." Came a smooth voice from the door.

   Broots kept looking at Ms. Parker, not wanting to turn around. He knew that voice, he **_knew _**that voice. He then swallowed and looked at the door reluctantly. **_Sh-t._**

   Lyle gave a smooth smile. "'Paranoid bastards' eh?" 

   "I-I didn't know Mr. Lyle, I-I mean I, uh--"

   "Keep cool Broots," Ms. Parker said, glaring at her twin. She narrowed her eyes. "What do you want?"

   He put his hands in the pockets of his white Armani suit. "Can't a brother come and to see his sister for no reason but to tell her how much he loves her?" 

   "No."

   He grabbed at his chest in mock pain. "Oh sis, I'm hurt."

   "Not yet." She growled at him.

   He just gave his irritating grin. "Dear old dad just wanted to make sure that you guys are clearing out okay." He glanced around the room. "Are you almost finished?"

   Ms. Parker gave a coy smile that didn't reach her eyes. "I don't see what the point is, we'll just be returning here in a few days."

   Lyle snorted softly. "Not likely. The lab rat isn't escaping this time." He looked over at Sydney. "By the way Syd, I'd be glad to drop off some copies of Jarod's new Sims if you want." His eyes lit up cruelly. "They're very entertaining." 

   Sydney clenched his fists at his side, trying to calm his breathing. "No thank you Mr. Lyle."

   He shrugged. "Suit yourself." He flashed one more smile at Ms. Parker before he left. "Bye sis, I'll be sure to tell dad that everything's going fine." Then he was gone.

   Broots groaned and buried his face in his hands. "I bad-mouthed the Centre in front of Lyle! I'm such an idiot!"

   Ms. Parker bit back a mean spirited agreement. "No you're not Broots. You're a kind man and a wonderful father." Then she turned and went back to packing up some of the things in the room before she could see the amazed looks from Broots and Sydney that she knew were occupying their features.

   They all returned to packing in silence, when an air duct over the middle of the room started rocking, and the door to it flew open, dropping Angelo on the floor with a thud.

   Ms. Parker turned around in a fluid movement and brought her gun out in front of her. "Okay who the he-" she stopped and lowered her gun. "Angelo?"

   Broots gasped and Sydney rushed forward to see if the empath was all right.

   Angelo waved Sydney away and stood shakily. "No! Angelo fine. Need Daughter and friends."

   Ms. Parker looked at him curiously but Sydney spoke. "Why do you need us Angelo?"

   "Jarod confused." He clutched at his head and grabbed his hair. "Forgot, forgot everything…not safe, in pain…"

   They all exchanged worried glances and Ms. Parker felt her stomach churn. While Sydney was calming Angelo down she turned to the tech. 

   "Broots, Syd's dog is obviously worried about Wonder boy. I would be a fool to ignore something that could possibly be endangering a profitable Centre investment." She looked at Broots meaningfully and he got the idea. 

   "Of course Ms. Parker." Broots said carefully. "I'll check on it immediately." He ran off to go to level three and search the Centre's database for Jarod's location.

   Ms. Parker looked down at the worried empath and the man trying to soothe him. "Hurry Broots," she whispered.

9:47 PM

Blue Cove, Delaware

The Centre

SL-27 Holding Block 24    

CP 1 was cold.

He cold see nothing around him but immeasurable darkness and he shivered from the frosty bite of the air in the void.

    He walked in no particular direction and was looking about him all the time. He suddenly felt the need to look down and saw that he was at the edge of the dark and now in front of him was a vast expanse of water. No…wait, not water. It was clear, and it was odorless, but it wasn't water. He frowned. Then he saw something out in the middle of…of whatever this liquid was. It was a raised circular platform, pure white and it looked made of marble or ivory. He stared at it a moment and noticed the steel bars around its edges, forming a round cage. 

   There was something in there too. He squinted his eyes as he tried to see. It was a man, standing with his head down. The man slowly brought his face up and stared at CP 1. Their eyes met, and CP 1 realized something shocking. 

   The eyes he was looking into were his own.

   Almost immediately he was assaulted by images.

    _A girl with elven ears and emerald eyes…_

FLASH!

   _Cruel laughter, a descent into darkness…_

FLASH!

   _A man in a suit, grinning in the light…_

FLASH!

   _Pain! In his arm…a needle!_

CP1 screamed, the sound ear shattering and strangely hollow. He took a step back, horrified, then looked down and saw that he was over the liquid. He shouted as he fell in, and began kicking and flailing violently, but he was like a lead weight, and slowly began plummeting down. He was sinking and couldn't swim up, the light past the surface of the water became farther and farther away and he, he couldn't breathe. The liquid filled his lungs and he faded…

   With a deep intake of air CP 1 awoke from his nightmare. He looked around frantically and fearfully, but calmed as he realized that it had been just a dream. What a strange nightmare that had been… Then he smiled. He'd tell Mr. Raines and Mr. Lyle about it in the morning. They'd know what to do.

   He nodded, reassuring himself, and then he settled down to sleep once more.

10:02 PM

Blue Cove, Delaware

The Centre

SL-27 Holding Block 23

Elf 17's eyes stung with pain and weariness. She would never show any emotion in the Centre, and knew she couldn't, but it had been hard to keep from crying after the abomination had been fixed around her neck.

    She now sat on top of the thin blankets of her berth, looking around in the dark. This cell could easily pass for her last one, were it not for the scent and obvious upgrade in security. Raines had been so excited about her discovered worth that he hadn't been able to wait until morning to move her down to her new cell.

     SL-27, the floor where all of the Centre's most important and well-guarded living projects were held. She'd last heard that there were only five housed "residents" down here. She'd passed four of the lower valued cells and occupants as she was walked through 27's hall to her own cell. 

   When she'd looked inside those rooms, she'd seen assassins. Each of the three people had had that look in their eyes. It had been the look of cold and calculating minds and vessels void of emotions. It had been the look of total emptiness, programmed golems, and unfeeling servants. 

   It had been the look of killers.

   She doubted that the people in those cells were even **_human._**

   They were machines. Numb machines not weighted down or held back by ethics or morals. She'd had to admit, she'd been scared after looking in there. She was glad that the last occupant's cell hadn't been open enough to look into. She wasn't sure that she wanted to see what horror lied in **_that_** room.

   For a moment she considered the possibility that Jarod was somewhere on this floor, but she chuckled and shook away the ridiculous thought. They'd probably built an entirely new **_sub-level_** just for him. 

   Suddenly Elf 17's eyes flashed with pain. God she hoped he escaped soon. Raines and Lyle were becoming very cunning in the way they handled things. If he didn't get out soon, he might not be able to at all…

10:15 PM

Blue Cove, Delaware

The Centre

Level Three, Tech Room

Broots, red eyed and half-dead, let out a quiet exclamation of joy. Finally, he was in. 

   He'd been working non-stop, trying to get the information Ms. Parker had so subtly told him to retrieve. However, it had been easier said than done. The Centre had obviously feared someone trying to find the exact information Broots had been told to find, and they'd set up nearly sixty different traps and false paths in the mainframe to catch anyone who was unlucky enough to be searching without necessary safety precautions and experience.

   Too bad for the Centre that Broots wasn't unskilled in what he did.

    He'd been extremely careful in his search, knowing that he was tiptoeing through a minefield. He'd avoided the traps set up by being able to change his server every two seconds so that it would be virtually impossible for anyone to track him down directly. Though it hadn't been easy, he'd safely retrieved the data. Now all he had to do was deliver the info to Ms. Parker and she'd know what to do with it. 

   _If I wasn't so tired, _Broots thought, _I'd probably be whistling "Zippity Doo Da" right now._

   He shrugged and settled for a smile as he went to tell Ms. Parker what the fruits of his labor had to provide.

10:25 PM

Blue Cove, Delaware

The Centre

Ms. Parker's Private Office

"Is this true Broots?" Ms. Parker whispered. She was seated at her desk, with Broots standing in front of her and Sydney over by Angelo in the corner.

   He nodded grimly and Ms. Parker looked back down at the papers. She couldn't believe that even the Centre could be so…no, wait, scratch that. She could believe it. She could believe it with surprising ease. The thing that really got her though, was that her father had signed this order. She'd have to talk to him about that.

   "What is it Ms. Parker?" Sydney asked in confusion. "What has the Centre done?"

   "You tell him Broots, I can't trust myself not to begin cussing and shouting." She responded quietly.

   "Oh, uh, sure. Yeah, okay." Broots turned to Sydney. "Well, um right now Jarod is being held in SL-27." He licked his dry lips nervously. "They've, they've given him a drug induced amnesia. He's been performing Sims and from what that paper says, he can't even remember his own name."

   Angelo squeaked as he felt the surge of emotion go through Sydney. Sydney quickly realized that his anger and loathing was affecting the empath so he took some deep breaths to calm down. Angelo gave a relaxed sigh and then returned to standing impassively, his eyes closed and content once more.

   Sydney focused on his breathing to keep down his emotion as he spoke. "They've given him **_amnesia_**? With what drug?"

   Broots thought back to the paper. "Um, something called CW-A-41." He shrugged to show his ignorance of its properties. "All I know about it is that it was created about a month ago in the testing labs."

   Sydney went quiet and bit his tongue. It was becoming increasingly hard to stay calm when his protégé was below in a dark corner of SL-27, not knowing who he was. He became pained and then felt Angelo patting his arm. He looked over at the empath who gazed at Sydney with sympathy and understanding.

   "Sydney sad." He said softly.

    "Yes Angelo. I am very sad, but I'll be fine."

    "Well I won't be, and neither will my brother once I get a hold of him." Ms. Parker growled with ferocity as she snapped a pencil she'd been holding in half. She stood up and started walking out.

   "W-where are you going Ms. P?" Broots asked nervously.

   "To SL-27," she replied, never once looking back. Then she was out the door.

   Sydney's eyes widened. "Broots! We have to stop her!"

   "Stop **_her_**? I thought you knew Ms. Parker Sydney. There's **_no way_** we can change her mind now."

   "Well we have to do something Broots! The sweepers haven't been told that we're not allowed to go down but the technicians manning the security cameras probably have orders from Raines!"

   Broots paled. "Oh no, Ms. Parker could be in big trouble Syd." He chewed on his thumbnail then snapped his fingers. "I got it! Look, you go down with her, I'll meet you there!" Then he rushed out, running with all of the power in his thin legs. 

   Sydney turned to Angelo. "Come on Angelo, we have to go help Ms. Parker."

   Angelo nodded in conference and they both went to go after the director's daughter.

10:46 PM

Blue Cove, Delaware

The Centre

SL-27 Holding Block 24

Ms. Parker strode down through the sub-levels with a determination that caused sweepers to move out of her way without even a word. Something in her eyes told them that she wasn't in the mood to be questioned on where she was going. Besides, she was the Director's daughter. She only had the Centre's best interests at heart right?

   Ms. Parker nearly growled at the two people guarding the entrance to Sub-Level 27 and they both yelped and moved aside. She was about to go through when a familiar voice called out to her to stop.

   She turned around. "What **_is_** it Dr. Freud?"

   Sydney stood straight and looked her in the eyes. "Angelo and I are coming with you."

   She raised a finely curved eyebrow but then nodded, accepting his worry for his former pupil. She turned around to enter when one of the guards found his voice.

   "Uh M-M-Ms. P-Parker, we uh, we aren't all-allowed to uh, let them th-through." The sweeper said shakily, pointing over at Sydney and Angelo.

   She glared at him and the other guard hastily replied, "we don't have anything against you ma'm but well, it goes against our orders."

   She smiled sweetly at him and went over and whispered something into his ear. His face turned bleach white and he moved out of the way and began waving her in.

   "Thanks," she told him, and then went in. Sydney and Angelo also entered, without any trouble at all from the two now severely frightened sweepers.

   "The two sweepers won't tell anyone we've come, and if Broots decides to show up then he'll be allowed in." Ms. Parker told Sydney, walking confidently as always.

   Angelo leaned over to Sydney, and whispered as if sharing a secret. "Sweepers scared. Sweepers really, really scared."

   Sydney felt like laughing out loud. There wasn't a person on this planet besides Jarod who wasn't scared of Ms. Parker when she was angry. The woman was a panther.

   They went by three different cells, and Sydney blanched as he looked inside of them. The faces that greeted him were frighteningly empty of expression.

   They reached the end of the hall and stopped, seeing a steel door on either sides of the walls, both without windows or real identifying markings of any kind. Ms. Parker crossed her arms and tapped her high-heeled foot impatiently. Besides not knowing what room was Jarod's, there were two numbered access pads on the doors. She hadn't planned on that. 

    Everyone turned around through, when they heard someone running towards them. Ms. Parker drew her gun and Sydney told Angelo to get behind him.

   Broots skidded around the corner, but was wearing sneakers and slipped on the just-waxed floor. He crashed into he wall and dropped to the ground. He shook his head, and stood up groaning.

   "Oh man they should put some signs up or something." He looked at Ms. Parker's drawn gun and let out a small cry of surprise. He covered his face with his arms. "Ms. Parker it's me!"

   She kept her face expressionless but there was a slight twinkle of amusement in her eyes. "I know it's you Broots. I'm just wondering if shooting you would be considered a mercy killing."

   He lowered his arms and frowned, then rubbed his back where he'd rammed into the wall.

   Sydney smiled and looked at his friend expectantly. "We're safe Broots?" 

   He nodded. "Yep, got it all set."

   Ms. Parker crossed her arms. "You have **_what_** 'all set?'"

   "Oh, well I had to somehow make sure that us going to see Jarod wouldn't show up on security so I, well, I got the tech in charge of the SL-27 cells out of the way."

   "And how did you accomplish that Broots?"

   He smiled, a bit embarrassed. " I um, I told him I'd watch the monitor and got him to go get donuts at Krispy Kreme."

  She widened her eyes appreciatively. "Good job Broots. But how do you know when he'll come back?"

   He snorted softly. "You obviously don't know how far away the nearest Krispy Kreme is. He'll be gone for **_hours._**"

   Sydney looked confused. "But why wouldn't he just go somewhere closer?"

   Broots looked at him in shock. "And give up their high quality jelly-filled donuts? It would be like Ms. Parker buying overalls at a yard sale instead of her designer skirts."

   Ms. Parker shuddered from the thought and then cleared her throat to draw Broots attention to the matter at hand. "Broots? You can pat yourself on the back later. We need to know which room is Jarod's and how to get past the access pad."

   Broots walked over to the door on the left. "That one's his, and while I was in the security room I checked up on previous recordings. I saw the numbers Raines entered to get in."

   "Well what are you waiting for? An invitation?"

   He scurried over and began pressing buttons. The light on the pad shined green and the door unlocked.

   Ms. Parker walked in first, a bit nervous. She didn't know what to expect, and seeing the pretender at all always made her stomach clench. She chided herself for feeling like a schoolgirl again.

   They entered and then turned on the light. The room was pretty large actually, and there were normal needs, a toilet, a sink, and some not-so-normal things like cameras. But what drew their attention was the man sitting on the bed, looking at them with curiosity and kicking his legs at nothing. He had his hands folded in his lap and Ms. Parker felt like she was a child again, meeting Jarod for the first time or, giving him that secret kiss.

   "Hello." He said cheerfully. "Have you come to ask me to sim?"

   Sydney and Broots exchanged worried looks. Something wasn't right here…

   Angelo went and sat in a corner, hugging his knees and rocking back and forth muttering incoherently to himself. Jarod looked at him strangely but turned back to the others.

   Ms. Parker swallowed. "No, we just want to talk to you." She felt the strange need to talk to him like a child, though she was afraid Jarod would suddenly get angry at her for speaking to him like that, but strangely he almost seemed at ease with how she spoke to him, almost comforted by it.

   "You want to talk to me?" he asked, furrowing his brow. "Have I done something wrong?"

   "No, no." Sydney said quickly. "We just want to ask how you are, and how you are doing here."

   "I'm doing all right Dr. Green." He said, and Sydney nearly jumped at being referred to by his last name.

   "You know who I am?" 

   "Yes sir. Mister Raines had me sim you for a test trial earlier."

   Sydney blinked in surprise but was interrupted by Ms. Parker before he could say anything.

   "Do you know what your name is?" She asked him quietly, becoming lost in his pure and innocent eyes.

   He nodded and smiled. "Yes ma'm. My name is CP 1. I belong to the Centre," He added on cheerfully.

   Broots looked like he was going to be sick. Sydney was saddened and Ms. Parker clenched her fists and held back tears. How could they have done this to him? It was wrong, it was just plain wrong. No one should be able to hurt him like this. Not like this…

   Jarod suddenly looked over at Angelo and turned his head inquisitively as he stared at him. "Is something wrong with him? He doesn't seem to be doing so well."

   Sydney knew that they shouldn't stay here any longer. "Actually, you're right…CP 1." Sydney said the foul name trying to keep his distaste for it out of his voice. "I think we have to be going now."

  He looked at Ms. Parker meaningfully, and with a sigh she nodded. Then she looked back over at the man she felt so strongly for. Sydney helped Angelo stand up and the two of them left the room with Broots, Sydney giving Ms. Parker a look of understanding before he closed the door.

   Ms. Parker then walked over to Jarod, and he just stared at her curiously. She was still holding back tears, tears that she'd held back all her life. Then she bent over and gently gave him a kiss on his forehead.

   "Goodbye." She told him and left the room.

   When she'd joined the others outside she fumed with fury. "I'm going to kill them!" she nearly screamed and Sydney tried to calm her down.

   "Please Ms. Parker!" he hissed. "I'm just as angry as you are but you have to be quiet!"

   She stomped her foot. "Well we have to do **_something_** Syd! I won't leave him like this!"

   "I don't want to either but," he swallowed against his next words. "I don't even know if the drug's effects can be reversed."   

   "Soul can be freed." Angelo spoke softly, and everyone turned to look at him in surprise. "Soul can be freed. Need the Elf."

   Broots instantly understood. "Angelo, do you mean Elf 17?"

   Angelo nodded. "Elf can help Jarod. Elf can free Jarod…before its too late."

11:05 PM

Blue Cove, Delaware

The Centre

SL-27 Holding Block 23

Elf 17 pulled her ear back from the wall. She couldn't believe all that she'd heard. Jarod was here, on this very floor even! But from the sound of it, he wasn't fully here in both mind and body.

   She wondered why Ms. Parker, Sydney, Angelo, and Broots had come down but then smiled. She knew why, it was the same reason he hadn't been caught for so long. They all liked him. They were all his friends. The lucky guy.

   She sat down on the floor. But right now she had to figure everything out. It sounded like Jarod had forgotten everything, like he didn't even know who the hell he was. The Centre was notorious for its many drugs, but could they have actually given him something to block off his memories? Then she snorted softly. That was like asking if Ms. Parker's skirts were short. Or course they could! It was what the Centre was all about.  

   She bit her lip. She had to help him. She couldn't leave him like that. It was no wonder he hadn't escaped yet; he couldn't even remember his own name.

   That was what got to her the most. It was one thing to put a collar around someone's neck, or to take away their freedom, but to take away someone's name…that was taking away their identity. She gazed sadly at the floor. She knew about identity loss all too well. 

   She began to shake with anger. No. She wouldn't let them take another name. He had earned his freedom, and by god she was going to give it back to him! The world needed him, he'd helped so many lives that he deserved to be free, he deserved to live knowing who he was and where he came from. She may not have a name, but he was going to have his. 

   Even if it was the last thing she did.

   She grimaced. Of course, knowing the Centre, that could very well be true… 

************************************************************************************

Whew. You have **_no_** idea how hard I worked to get this up as soon as I did. I mean, when you have to go to school for nearly nine hours a day and finish homework, you don't get many chances to things like this. But hey, I had to make up for lost time right? So, anyways, hoped you enjoyed this latest installment, and I think I might use the whole "name" thing for a theme. It's original enough. Oh, and just for a reminder… PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THINGS FICTION WRITE ME A REVIEW!!! Talk to you later!


	11. Opposing Views

**Disclaimer: **Do I **_really_** need to say it again? (Sigh) Fine. Have it your way. I don't own it, it's not mine, yadda, yadda, yadda, blah, blah, blah….can I go home now?

**Rating:**Pretty sure that this one's a PG. Might have some teenager lingo in it but nothing too serious.

**Summary:** Darn its hard coming up with these mysterious and cryptic summaries. Um, okay I think I have one. Ahem. In this chapter Elf 17 and Ms. Parker meet together to discuss a common interest, but the views each one have might turn out to be more conflicting then they'd originally thought them to be…(I know, I know, not **_really_** cryptic but hey, I'm tired. It's late. You work with you get.)

**_!!!AUTHOR'S NOTE!!!!: _****Okay, I've been becoming really frightened because I haven't received a single scrap of feedback on my last chapter when usually I get at least two. Do you not like the story anymore? Are you mad at me? Should I stop writing? Please tell me! If there's a problem that needs to be fixed, I can't know about it unless I'm informed. Help a writer out huh?**

**Feedback:** (Shadow Elf has is only a few yards away from the portal summoning area and is standing on the opposite side of a hill that she needs to go over in order to get to the site.)

   "Finally! I'm here! It'll all be over and I'll get to leave this god forsaken realm and go somewhere new with people who hopefully won't try to eat me or turn me into a battery!" 

[She begins climbing up, going as fast as she can]  

"Almost there! Come on legs just a few more steps to ecstasy! Just a few more steps to freedom! And hope! And Joy! And…" 

[She goes over the top, only to be faced with a grinning Maverick]

(Sigh) "You know what? I'm beginning to think I'm unlucky."

**Quote:**

      "When we read, we start at the beginning and continue until we reach the end; when we write, we start in the middle and fight our way out."--Vickie Karp

                                                                                                                  -----**ShadowElfBard**

************************************************************************************

                                        **All Hail The Installment Of The Next Chapter! **

8:26 AM

Blue Cove, Delaware

The Centre

SL-27 Holding Block 24

CP 1 hadn't slept at all after the strange visit he'd received. Ever since that…that beautiful but sorrow-filled woman had kissed him, well, sleep hadn't been the biggest thing on his mind. That meeting had been so strange, and he'd gotten this odd feeling of unrest after they'd left. It had been as if he'd missed something very important, as if who they were meant something. It was like an itch he couldn't reach. And that gentle kiss on his forehead…

    He heard someone outside of his door and snapped out of the trance that kiss had put him into. He turned his head to see who was coming to greet him, secretly hoping that it was the woman again.

   Well, it wasn't the woman.

   "Morning CP 1. I trust you slept well?" asked Lyle as he sauntered in.

   "Yes sir. I, I slept very well." He lied, hoping that Mr. Lyle hadn't checked the security camera footage. He knew what Mr. Lyle's punishment was for those who lied.

   "Good, good." Lyle said a bit distractedly. "So you…didn't have any nightmares or anything?"

   It was a simple enough question, one that Mr. Lyle and Mr. Raines had been asking him every morning since he'd awoken with amnesia. But this morning, instead of CP 1immediately answering truthfully, he paused. Last night had been the first night he'd had a nightmare, and somehow it struck him as odd that they were always asking about his dreams. Almost as if they were expecting him to dream. He ignored that thought and was about to tell Mr. Lyle about it, when something in his mind screamed in protest. Deciding that this needed further thought, he just smiled at Mr. Lyle and said calmly and innocently, "nope. No nightmares sir."

   Lyle let out a carefully concealed sigh of relief, but of course, CP 1 being the pretender he was, he noticed it. Something was definitely going on, and as he said goodbye to Mr. Lyle, telling him that he looked forward to the Sims that he'd be performing tonight, he vowed resolutely to discover what it was.

8:57 AM

Blue Cove, Delaware

The Centre

Air Ducts

Angelo was traveling through the air ducts; going to carry out what he knew needed to be done to help his friend Jarod. There were times when he was so confused that he couldn't think straight, times when his empath abilities stole away his logic and sanity. Then there were times, rare times, when everything seemed to be sparkling and crystal clear. This was one of those times.

   He suddenly made a sharp left and paused for a moment to look out of the thin slits of the vent. It was Raines and Mr. Parker, arguing heatedly about something. Angelo would have stayed and watched, but he was rather one-minded at the moment. He had to find Elf. Daughter had gone down to see Jarod last night, and when he'd been there he'd known that Elf had been in the next cell. He probably should have gone in then, but his thinking had been rather muddled having been so deeply immersed in his empath abilities.

   Now, he was going to have a harder time. The air vents didn't go into either her or Jarod's cell. He was going to have to find her and contact her from wherever she was. He was going to go look in he physical training room first, and the only clear emotions he ever received from that place was fear and hate. Angelo didn't look forward to going there, but knew he had to. He would be out of sight, and find a way to talk to Elf alone should she be there.

    He crawled through the vents for about ten more minutes, turning where he needed to and keeping an ear out for any indication that Elf was nearby. When he knew he'd finally reached the ducts that traveled within the training room, he stopped and stayed absolutely still, knowing that he needed to find out whether anyone was in there before he made his presence known.

   That's when he heard the voices in the middle of the room.

   "Oh come on, now I **_know_** you can do better than this." It was the voice of Lyle, and Angelo spotted him standing on the right side of the room, looking down at something while he had his arms crossed.

   What Angelo couldn't see, because of the angle he viewed from, was the lithe and beautiful teenager down on the floor in front of Lyle, doing one armed, one legged, push-ups at a remarkable speed. But though Angelo couldn't see who Lyle was looking at, he could hear her reply.

   Elf 17 gritted her teeth to keep back any sarcastic remarks that might slip out. "I'm sorry Mr. Lyle. I will try to go faster." _Even though I'm already doing better than you ever could, you thumbless jerk._

   Lyle gave an amused grin. "Now that's what I like to hear, enthusiasm and obedience." He held in one hand the controlling pad to the collar he'd fixed around her neck, and he traced its controls softly, remembering the pain he'd put her through yesterday and musing about whether she'd cry or not should he choose to zap her again.

   For right now though, he was content just watching this young beauty pull her muscles trying to keep up with his demands.

   Elf 17 had closed her eyes and was about to let her mind wander somewhere else to disconnect herself from the pain she was feeling, when her nose caught a gentle and familiar scent in the air. Her eyes opened and widened in recognition.

   _Angelo?_

She dared to glance back at Lyle, to see if he showed any indication that they were being spied upon right now, and came to the conclusion that he was oblivious to their watcher.

   She smiled.

   Lyle then yawned, becoming bored with the monotony of the exercise. "All right, let's move on."

   He motioned for her to move over to the barbells and after she'd been seated and had her arms hanging loosely onto the eighty-five pound weight above her, Lyle clamped down her ankles and locked them in place. He gave her the go-ahead and she lifted the barbell from its resting place and began working. 

   Lyle was tired, he'd been up all night with Raines going over certain budget aspects and other information pertaining to their promotions and such, and he soon felt the need to close his eyes and rest.   

   Elf 17 paused for a moment, the weight halfway up, and she looked over at the desk where Lyle was seated. She frowned, puzzled at his closed eyes, and then realized that he was asleep. The sweepers were over at the other end of the large room because Lyle didn't want to appear scared when training her, and she soon saw this as a wonderful opportunity to ask Angelo what exactly he was doing here.

   She still kept moving the weight up and down, though her arms were strained still from yesterday's exercise, and then whispered just softly enough for Angelo to hear, "It's clear."

   Her sensitive hearing caught the sounds of pants cloth on the smooth metal of the air ducts and knew that he'd heard her.

   An air vent to her left slowly swung open, and Angelo cautiously crawled out and walked over to her timidly.

   Elf 17's heart overflowed with joy when she saw him, and if she could have she would have leapt up and hugged him tightly. She carefully and quietly moved the barbell back into its holder, and she sat up, though her ankles were still shackled down.

   "Hi Angelo."  

   "H-hi El-Elf." He responded, his gaze all over the room.

   "What are you here for?"

   He looked into her eyes and she noticed the worry his reflected. "Jarod need Elf's help. Need Elf, to-to help remember. Daughter, daughter need to talk to Elf, she'll call. Needs to know if Elf will help daughter help Jarod." He licked his dry lips and then looked at Elf 17, a silent understanding going through them. 

   Elf 17 averted his eyes, thinking about what he'd just told her. She felt something touch her, and slowly looked up to see Angelo, his hand on her head, with his eyes closed and concentration on is features.

   She was confused for a moment and then began to feel lighter, freer. She smiled in spite of herself and let out a small sigh.   

   The contact was broken and Elf 17 felt so much happier than before. "What was that Angelo?"

   "An-Angelo took the hurt away. Elf was in pain, Angelo help."  

   Elf 17 realized that there was much more to Angelo than he liked to let on. "Thank you Angelo," she whispered. "I needed that."

   "Will Elf talk to daughter?"

   She nodded without hesitation. "If she can get to me, I'll talk."    

   Angelo didn't understand the first part, but knew that daughter would. He gave a nod and then left to go back into the air ducts, moving so quickly and precisely that it had almost been as if he'd never come.

    Elf 17 watched him go; only laying back down again when she heard him shut the air vent door with a click.

   Lyle awoke and yawned, then shook his head and blinked once or twice before remembering where he was and whom he was watching. He looked back over at Elf 17, and saw her expressionlessly lifting the barbell weight up and down and up and down. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and stood, resisting the temptation to stretch. He called over one of the sweepers.

   "Yes sir Mr. Lyle?" One of them asked, jogging over.

   "What time is it?"

   The sweeper looked at his wristwatch. "9:30 sir."

   Lyle nodded and grabbed the coat to his suit that he'd had draped on the back of a chair. "I have to go to a meeting with my the director and Raines." He pointed at Elf 17. "I want her to continue with the weights for fifteen minutes before she's put on the treadmill." He looked at the sweeper with a deadly serious expression plastered on his face. "Watch her. If she escapes, you die."

   The sweeper nodded grimly.

   Lyle suddenly grinned and reached into his pocket. "But here, this might help you." He threw the sweeper the control pad to her collar. "Have fun."

   Lyle winked at Elf 17, who was staring at the now-smiling sweeper in horror. She backed her ears in fright, and widened her eyes.

   Lyle only laughed as he walked calmly out.

9:36 AM

Blue Cove, Delaware

The Centre

Director Mr. Parker's Office

Ms. Parker had just been delivered the news by Angelo that the…"Elf" or whatever he called it, had agreed to meeting. Now all she had to do was gain her father's permission to speak with Raines' project and everything would be "peachy keen". She'd pre-set this meeting with him earlier, so she had about half-a hour to an hour to convince him. Which was, she knew, more than enough time.

   She stopped in front of the metal doors to her father's office. After she took a calming breath she focused herself, remembering to keep her objective her first priority. _Calm, calm, he's your father for Christ's sake! An old man. You can send men cowering with a well-positioned glare. This is nothing to you, _she thought to herself as she opened the door.

   "Daddy I-" She cut herself short as she saw who sat by her father's desk.

   It was Raines and Lyle.

   She left her mouth open slightly before setting it into a thin line.

   Mr. Parker gave a slightly nervous and all-around false smile. "Why, hello Angel."

   "Daddy," she said the word slowly, smoothly and roughly, so that it sounded like silk over sandpaper. "What are **_they_** doing here?"

   Raines glared at her, and took a wheezing breath. "We…are in a meeting with your father… Ms. Parker."

   She gave him a smile so perfect and coldly done that it was insulting. "I can see that Dr. Evil." She looked at her father and narrowed her eyes. "What I'm wondering is what you're doing here when I had gone out of my way to pre-arrange an appointment."

   Mr. Parker had the decency to look embarrassed at least, and gave a weak laugh. "Oh angel I'm sorry, but we can have a talk together later." He gave an almost helpless shrug. "Centre business first you know."

   She folded her arms. "Well **_daddy,_** perhaps then it would surprise you to know that I didn't come here to chat. I came with Centre related business."

   Mr. Parker let out a thoughtful 'oh'.

   She remained quiet, waiting for what he was going to do next.

   "Is your ah, business lengthy?"

   "Not at all. It's very simple daddy. I'd just like to use the time that I **_thought _**I had reserved to discus it with you." She sent a glare over to Lyle and Raines. "But it seems that an appointment doesn't count for much anymore."

   Mr. Parker leaned back in his chair. "Well, why don't we discus it now then?"

   "Now?"

   "I don't see why not if all it is is Centre business." He opened his arms to indicate everyone in the room. "We are all Centre workers after all."

   She began to get worried. "Daddy, I would really,** really **like it if I could discus this with you privately."

   "What's the matter sis?" Lyle asked with a subtle mocking in his sweet tone. "Personally I'd like to hear what all of this 'business' is about."

   She dug her manicured nails into her palms to keep form slapping her brother senseless.

   Mr. Parker raised an eyebrow questioningly. "Would that be all right with you angel?"

   "Sure." She said, fires burning in her eyes. Then she sighed. "Fine. Daddy, I would like permission to speak with Raines' project."

   Lyle was holding back his emotions, Mr. Parker looked caught off guard, and Raines was giving her a look that asked 'what are you planning?'

   She gave him back a smile that answered, 'wouldn't you like to know.'

   "So daddy, may I?"

   "I'm not sure angel, I mean well, she is rather dangerous and I wouldn't want you to get hurt…"

   "All I'm asking is to talk to her in her cell." She tapped her foot. "Really daddy, I've taken on worse than a fifteen-year-old girl who is in a damn cell for god's sake."

   He glanced over at Raines. "Well Raines, the girl is yours and Lyle's. What do you say?"

   "I say that I'd like to know Ms. Parker's reasons for wanting to speak with her." Raines spoke with a rasp. 

   She gave an exasperated sigh and rolled her eyes. "I'm moving up in corporate, and since it seems I'm never going to be able to leave this hell-hole, I might as well get a better understanding of what goes on here. That answer your question Raines?"

   Lyle and Raines both shared a look with each other, and a silent conversation seemed to go on between them. 

   Lyle faced his sister. "Well sis, I suppose I don't see a reason why n--"

   "Then its settled," Ms. Parker finished with a triumphant smile. "Send her back to her cell right now and I can have the chat immediately."

   Steam seemed to rise off of Raines' bald head. "She's in the middle of physical training right now Ms. Parker."

   "Oh come **_on_**. You have the rest of her life to train her, what's thirty minutes going to hurt?"

   Mr. Parker nodded. "She has a point Raines."

   "So it seems." He stared at Ms. Parker a moment longer, trying to discover the motives behind her cool façade, and then gave up and got a sweeper on his two-way radio. 

   "Jones? The girl is finished with her training for the moment, take her back to her cell." He paused and listened to the sweeper's response. "Well if she can't stand, then drag her down there. I don't care how you get her there just do it." He turned it off and gave Ms. Parker a nod, not noticing how Ms. Parker seemed to be holding back a rapidly building rage from what she'd heard him say.

   "You can go down now." He told her. 

   "Thanks." She responded, not meaning a syllable of it. Then with a half-smile to her father, she was gone.

10:09 AM

Blue Cove, Delaware

The Centre

SL-27 Holding Block 23

Elf 17's body hit the ground and slid across the smooth floor roughly, listening as the Sweepers that had thrown her in closed the door to her cell, laughing as they left.

   She muttered curses under her breath she struggled to get up without using her arms or legs, which soon proved to be almost impossible. She did it in the end though, and sat on the floor with her back against her cot, trying to focus on something besides the pain and absolute exhaustion that made every nerve in her body feel raw.

   "It's too damn early to be this pissed off." She grumbled.

   "That's what I say every morning."

   Elf 17 jerked her head awake and stared at a beautiful and somber woman who was standing inside of her cell. She gave a weak laugh. "I must be more tired than I thought. I didn't even hear the door reopen."

   Ms. Parker gave an almost sympathetic smile, but didn't respond the comment. Instead, she moved over to where a light switch was located. "Mind if I turn on the lights? I can't even see you right now."

   She gave a confused look. "You can't?" Then she rolled her eyes. "Oh, duh. Of course you can't. Yeah, sure, go on."

   The lights went up and Ms. Parker' eyes widened in spite of themselves. She'd seen Elf 17 before, standing from the shadows of the T-board meeting, but now that she could see her up close, recognize the pain in her eyes, realize how young she was, notice the collar around her neck and glimpse all of the cuts an bruises that decorated her clearly tired body, well, it was the second time in the past two days that she'd been assaulted by tidal waves of emotional pain.

   Elf 17 gave a tired grin at her reaction. "Sorry I couldn't be in better shape to see you Ms. Parker, but the sweepers had a bit of fun while Lyle was gone." She put a finger up to her collar and Ms. Parker understood. Then Elf 17 looked up at the corner of her room. "The camera's are off." It was a statement, not a question.

   Ms. Parker nodded, feeling sick as she thought of what the girl meant by the sweeper's having 'fun'. "My father may be the director of the Centre, but he still respects his daughter's wishes for privacy."

   Elf 17 smiled. "Good, then let's get on to business." She tried to stand and move onto her cot, but found the task much to difficult to achieve. She gave Ms. Parker an embarrassed look. "You wouldn't mind if I just stayed here on the ground would you?"

   "Not at all."

   Elf 17 licked her dry, chapped lips. "All right. Well, Angelo told me why you wanted to talk to me. So, let me see if I have this right. From what I've been able to gather, you and the others feel sympathy…" she noticed Ms. Parker opening her mouth to protest but she cut her off. "You can call it whatever you want, but it is sympathy you feel for him. May I continue?"

   Ms. Parker frowned, but gave a curt nod.

   "Good. So, you feel sympathy for Jarod, and need me to help him escape. Am I right?"

   "No."

   Ms. Parker said the word with such casual seriousness that Elf 17 was caught off guard. "No?" she repeated, befuddled.

   Ms. Parker crossed her arms. "No. All right, so I may feel a twinge of sympathy for wonder boy. But I don't want you to help him escape."

   Elf 17 was completely confused and she noticed with rue that she'd been experiencing this feeling quite often since she'd been back. "If you don't want me to help him then why did you tell Angelo that you did?"

   "I do want you to help him, just not to escape."

   Elf 17 gaped at Ms. Parker incredulously. _Jarod was right; Ms. Parker is not an easy woman to figure out. _"Ms. Parker, with all due respect, I'm afraid I'm not able to understand what it is your asking me to do here."

   "I'm asking you, elf-girl, to help him regain his memory, but **_not_** in any way set him free of the Centre." 

    "But if I give him back his memory all they'll do is inject him with another round of the chemical and I would have accomplished nothing!"

   "What happens after his memory is brought back will be dealt with when it happens. I have influence here, a great deal of it. I can convince my father that Jarod will do better work without the chemicals in his bloodstream."

   Elf 17 barked out a laugh. "Oh that's rich. You may be his daughter Ms. Parker, but I know the man better than you do. He won't believe that, and telling him that will only turn the suspicions he'll have on who gave Jarod's memories back in the first place, on you."

   "Oh? And how exactly can you claim to know my father so well?"

   Elf 17 looked at her pityingly. "Do I really have to answer that?"

   "Damn sims." Ms. Parker cursed under her breath.

   Elf 17 gave a helpless shrug.

   "Look, I don't care how much you claim to know about my father, I don't care what your opinions are on my decision." Ms. Parker growled. "I want Jarod's memory back." 

   "So do I."

   Ms. Parker gave her a tight-lipped smile. "Good. Then give him back his memory and leave the rest to me."

   "You mean leave him in a cage!" she shouted in fury, knowing in the back of her mind that sitting weakly on the floor somehow diminished the dramatic effect.

   Ms. Parker stepped forward, barely able to hold back her anger. "You listen here girl, I can make this easy, or I can make this hard." Her eyes became slits. "You either bring Jarod's memories back, or I make sure that your life here is worse than Jarod's ever was."

   Elf 17 calmly regarded Ms. Parker, rebellion in her eyes. "I'll bring him back Ms. Parker, but not because of what you've said. You can threaten me all you want, but I've taken on worse than a woman in high heels and a skirt."

   Ms. Parker ignored the last comment, though she realized in the back of her mind that she had said about the same thing just a few minutes earlier. She threw a folder on the floor in front of Elf 17. "In there is all that Broots could dig up on the chemical they used, something called CW-A-41. It might be of use. You have two days."

   Elf 17 looked down at the folder, the expression on her face a mask of stone. "All right then."

   Ms. Parker spun around and began to walk out, when Elf 17's voice called out to her.

   "Oh an Ms. Parker?"

   Ms. Parker turned to see that Elf 17 had managed to stand by sheer will power, and was wobbling slightly but looking at her with defiance. She had the papers Ms. Parker had given her clenched at her side, and her bottom lip was quivering from the intensity of her emotions. "I'm beginning to think that you and your brother have a lot in common when it comes to cruelty." She held back tears as she spoke. "I'm sure your father is very proud of you both and your loyalty to the Centre."

   Ms. Parker could only stare as a white-hot fury and scalding anger rushed through her, joined by a feeling of total shock. 

   She left the cell, never once stopping to look back at the teenage girl as she proceeded to stride back through the halls to her office, deaf to the sound of Sam closing the girl's cage door, and blind to the people who were around her as she moved. 

   She made it back to her office and went inside, closing the door behind her. Then she took in a deep breath, and clenched her eyes in an aching pain as she let the tears fall.    

************************************************************************************

God, I really am falling behind and again I am truly sorry that this is late. If anybody is still reading this thing, please give me some feedback or helpful hints, I need to know that you guys are still alive out there somewhere. Hope to talk to you soon! 


	12. Secret Confession

**Disclaimer:** Alas, I cannot lay claim to this ingenious plot and storyline, that gift belongs to the true owners of Pretender alone. Oh woe is me. 

     PS I'm just having a bit of fun teasing Microsoft, Google, and E-bay. I don't mean anything by it.

**Rating:** A PG-13 at the worst. Only because of a few words though. Nothing **_too_** horrible.

**Summary:** The plan is set into motion, and the final pieces move into place on the chessboard that is the Centre. [Hey keep a look out, something might actually happen in this chapter! (Wink)]

**_!!! AUTHORS NOTE!!!: _Okay, I am now reassured that there are still some lunatics still reading this story of mine. (Sniff) I feel so loved… Oh, and a special thank you to **joonepur**. I'm really amazed you can find subtle plot devices and themes in my story. _I_ never could have found them. LOL. Glad to have you aboard and look forward to any help you can provide me. That goes for the rest of you people too! ;)**

**Feedback: **(Shadow Elf thought she had made it to safety, only to discover a snare! Maverick was waiting for her, {though how he found her is a mystery even to the narrator} so she now has to get past him or stay in this realm forever!)

   [Shadow Elf throws up her arms and looks to the sky] "Would the world please just swallow me up! Huh? Is that too much to ask?! I mean really, you've done everything else to me already! Am I just some victim for the universe?! The fool of a cosmic practical joke?!"

_Maverick:_  [He sighs and taps his foot impatiently] Are you quite finished? 

   [She stops and looks over at him blankly and then sighs in defeat] "Yeah. Why?"

_Maverick:  _I'd like to get on with this if you don't mind.

   "Get on with what?"

_Maverick:_   You know, the whole 'good vs. evil', fight for freedom, battle of brains and brawn! [There is a smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye]

   [Shadow Elf raises an eyebrow at him] "You don't get out much do you?"

**_Quote: _**

"Thinking is the hardest work there is, which is probably why so few people do it."

---Henry Ford****

**Special Note!: while Sydney and Elf 17 sign to each other, will frame Sydney's signing, and {} will frame Elf 17's.  Get it? Got it? Good.**

                                                           -------**ShadowElfBard**

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**"Where oh where could the next chapter be, oh where oh where could it be?"**

Two Days Later, Morning Of The Second Day

11:40 AM

Blue Cove, Delaware

The Centre

Sim Lab

"He has a gun to the man's head! What do you do? His life depends on your decision!"

   "I can't, I can't!" Elf 17 yells at Raines, holding out a gun in front of her, tears rolling down her cheeks in the dim lighting of the lab.

   Raines circles her, staring at her intensely. "You must choose. He has endangered lives before; he has taken lives before! You have seen him kill without mercy, and he will kill the man in front of you without remorse if something is not done!"

   "But, but he's a human, a human being! An evil human but still a human! " She cries out at him. "I've never taken a life before!" She is so deep inside her pretend that she can't even see Raines as he stands at her side.

   "He is taunting you, he is doing this all because of you. You will be the reason that the man in front of you dies if you don't stop the monster that holds him." Raines whispers by her slender pointed ear. 

   "I-I-" her voice is breaking and her heart races, and then she closes her eyes. "I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry." and then, with tears blurring her sight, she pulls the trigger.

**_Ten minutes later…_**

Lyle pulled his hands out of his Armani suit pockets and turned away from the glass he'd been watching the sim through as he heard the door open. He turned and met Raines with a smirk.

   "Strange choice for a sim Raines. I suppose there was a reason you made the girl simulate Jarod and his decision at the church?"

   Raines kept a blank expression and turned to walk back out into the sim lab, Lyle walking beside him as he spoke. "Simulating Jarod when he made the choice to kill Damon does serve a purpose Mr. Lyle. Her respect for life is just as strong as Jarod's, maybe stronger. But she can't serve the Centre and Triumvate fully without being able to get past her own morals and ethics in a sim. She's of no use as a pretender if she can't completely immerse herself in her pretend."

   "But she did it? She passed?" Lyle prompted the answer from Raines, eager to discover the results. The two-way glass is a natural sound barrier and it was also hard to see through clearly, even from his side. He only knew what sim she'd been doing by the photo of Damon on the projector screen. That and Lyle had seen the girl holding a gun at a wooden figure. You put the two together and it's not all that hard to figure out what she was simulating.  

   Raines stopped walking and then gestured to the wooden outline of a human that they'd used for Elf 17's simulation. "Look for yourself."

   Lyle let his eyes go over the sim tool, scrutinizing every inch of the wood, and then grinned as he saw the clean bullet hole in the figures' head. 

   Raines saw the other's reaction and allowed himself a small chuckle. "Her first probable situation sim will be sent to the Triumvate tomorrow and we can begin selling them to our anxious customers. The Triumvate has decided on auctioning them off to get more of a profit."

   Lyle turned to him and raised an eyebrow. "Auctioning? Where?"

   "E-bay."

   Lyle stared at him incredulously. "E-bay? Isn't that a bit…public?"

   "The Centre has it's own private selling corner on the website. No one will know of it except for the potential customers who've shown interest in purchasing our Sims."

   "How did the Centre manage that?"

   Raines gave him an amused look. "Who do you think it was that first designed the idea for e-bay?"

   Lyle laughed. "Jarod outdid himself on that one."

   "Actually it was Elf 17 who created the idea for e-bay. Jarod did however, create the first idea for Internet search engines like Google." 

   "I suppose next your going to say that Bill Gates didn't really create Microsoft?"

   Raines just gave a wicked grin.

   "Forget I asked."

1:18 PM

Blue Cove, Delaware

The Centre

SL-27 Holding Cell 24

Sydney walked purposefully down to the holding cell of Raines' project, wishing that he had Jarod's ability to pretend. It would make things easier. 

   He'd only seen Ms. Parker once yesterday, and she'd looked in horrible shape. Not that her father would notice it of course, the man was blind to every feeling his daughter had. Sydney and even Broots however, had seen how shaken up she'd been, and had noticed the ringlets under her eyes. She hadn't slept the night she'd gone down to see Raines' project, and she had ended up missing sleep last night as well. Something had been said down here that had pulled at Ms. Parker's usual resolve, and no one had been able to figure out what it was. All they knew was that it had happened when she'd met with Raines' project.

   Sydney flashed the pass he'd been given to come down here at one of the sweepers standing guard to the sublevels, and after closely looking at it and recognizing Ms. Parker's signature, he was waved through. Sydney nodded his thanks and then entered; going through how he was going to get the information he needed from Raines' project without actually saying it.

   They had been able to turn off the camera feed when Ms. Parker had gone down, but they couldn't do it every time. By turning it off every time one of them went to see her, the Centre would become suspicious, and the Centre was known for finding out what they needed to. Helping them by amiably providing suspects would not work to Ms. Parker and Sydney's advantage.

   He walked over to the cell he needed to enter, and showed the sweeper at her door the other paper he'd brought with him after pulling it from his briefcase. The sweeper made Sydney stand back a few feet as he punched in the numbers to the security pad. When the green light flashed, the sweeper stood aside and allowed Sydney to enter, telling him that he had fifteen minutes.

   Sydney went in, and switched on the lights, not feeling comfortable enough to stand in the dark for even a moment. The only time he'd sent the girl had been at the T-board meeting, and all he'd been able to learn about her was that she was fifteen, and deadly. Angelo had told him that she was a friend, and that she would help, but somehow those words didn't make him feel very comfortable when they came from the empath. Sydney had never known Angelo had never been wrong before, but there was a first time for everything.

   As soon as the lights went up Sydney jumped in surprise and almost flung his briefcase from his hand. Elf 17 was standing barely an inch away from him, her emerald eyes sparkling with glee. He hadn't heard her walk over, hell; he hadn't even heard her breathing.

   Elf 17 couldn't help but smile as she took a step back from the surprised psychiatrist. "Sorry, force of habit."

  "It's quite all right. You just surprised me is all." He composed himself. "Now, why don't you take a seat on the bed and we can begin the session?"

   There was the briefest flicker of her eyes as she stole a glimpse for no more than half a second at the camera mounted on the wall. She saw it's recording light on and gave the doctor another well-pretended smile. "So you've come to give me a psych analysis? All right, though I must warn you I could probably give you one better than you could me."

   Sydney gave a small grin. "I'll thank you for the warning, but I'm not truly here to chat. At least, not as freely as you might hope."

   "Oh you needn't worry about **_that_**. I have no wish to chat freely with anyone willingly associated with the Centre." She went over to her cot and sat down, her back to the wall.

   Sydney looked around the room and noticed a small and very simple student's desk and chair in the corner of the room. He grabbed the chair and set it down directly in front of the camera's view so that now should someone be viewing this, all they'd b able to see is his back. He also blocked any view the camera might have of Elf 17. Which was of course, his intention.

   Sydney's mind raced as he thought of possible ways he might communicate with her. _Come on Sydney, think now. How could you talk with her so that the Centre wouldn't be suspicious? _Then it came to him.

   "Now then ms…" 

   "Elf 17 Dr. Green. But of course you already knew that. You are simply asking to make me feel more comfortable with your presence." She raised a hand at him to stop any protests he might have. "Don't try to deny it, I have worked with psychiatrists before, and I've simulated them."

   "Very well Ms. Elf 17." Then Sydney put his plan into motion. He quickly signed to her with his hands, hoping that she knew how.

  _ Do you know how to use sign language? If you do, we'll be able to carry on a fake conversation for the camera while signing to each other _

_  {Sounds good to me}_

   Sydney smiled. Angelo was right, once again. She was kind and friendly, and even reminded Sydney a bit of Jarod.

   "Well now on to the first question…" and he began talking.

**Ms. Elf 17---**

_   {Just call me Elf 17 Dr. Green.}_

**All right, so long as you call me just Sydney. **

_  {Fine by me Sydney.}_

  **Angelo came and informed us that you told him that you have the antidote prepared. Is this true?**

  {_It's all finished_.}

   Sydney could have let out a sigh of relief. **Oh thank goodness**

   {_It's all finished, but it's not prepared._}

   **I'm sorry?**

   {_I don't have access to the chemicals needed to prepare this! I may be a pretender but a pretender still needs _something_ to work with. I have written down the preparations needed to prepare it, but actually making it is up to you._}

   **That might be a problem.**

   {_You have Broots working with you. You'll manage._}

   **I hope so.**

   {_Not as much as I do._}

   Sydney was taken off guard by that signing, and he stopped talking for a moment. Elf 17 quickly covered for him though, cutting him off in the fake conversation, while she quickly signed.

    {_Keep Talking!_}

  Luckily Sydney recovered and continued on.

   **My apologies.**

   {_It's fine Sydney. They won't notice that slip up, but this is dangerous water you're treading in._}

   **I know. How do you know that metaphor? **

   She almost grinned at him. {_Ask Broots about it. He'll tell you._}

   He signed the equivalent of a shrug. **Well, just pass over the paper now and I guess we'll be done**

    Elf 17 paused in her signing. When she started again, she seemed sorrowful. {_Sydney, I-I have my concerns in giving back Jarod his memory._}

   **What concerns?**

   {_For one, because of the type of chemical given to him, there is only a forty percent chance of recovery. His mind will have to work with the antidote, and he'll need to be able to fully focus his subconscious_}

   **What are you saying? **

   {_I'm saying that he'll have to be asleep. You know, chemically knocked out._ }

   **That shouldn't be hard to accomplish. But that's not all that's bothering you is it?**

   {_No, but…_} She deliberately got angry while she carried on the fake conversation, so that she'd be able to fully express her emotions on the subject to Sydney. {_I don't want go through with giving Jarod his memory back if he has to stay in the Centre! It's not right!_}

   Sydney was confused. **Who said that he was staying at the Centre? I had every intention of helping him escape.**

  Elf 17 paused. {_She didn't tell you?_}

  **Are you talking about Ms. Parker? No, she hasn't told me anything. Why?**

  {_She's not going to let Jarod escape Sydney. She wants to give him back his memory, but that's all._}

   Sydney was outraged, but carefully concealed it. **But that's, that's preposterous! Surely she knows how horrible it is for him here! He doesn't deserve to be the Centre's lab rat.**

   {_All I know is that she has something going on inside of her that's causing her to leave him here, some inner turmoil. But whatever the reason, she's keeping him locked up._} She continued talking, but stopped signing for the briefest of moments. 

   **There's something about leaving him here that worries you in particular isn't there?**

   {_Sydney, today they had me sim Jarod and relive a part of his life_.} She tried to suppress a shudder but it escaped her anyway, and she looked almost as if she was going to throw up. {_They didn't make me sim just any part of his life, they had me sim the time when Jarod killed Damon._}

   Sydney's eyes widened and he glad that the camera couldn't see it. **They made you sim the time that Jarod killed Damon? Why? **

   {_They know how much I revere life. They want me to be able to get past any ethics or morals that might hold me back when I sim. If they're doing it to me, they're most definitely going to do it to Jarod. He's in the sim lab right now, though I think they aren't going to make him sim anything as intense as what I did until tomorrow. But Sydney, in the fragile mind set he's in, and the fact that he doesn't even know himself anymore, making him sim something where he has to kill another living creature, much less a human, it could hurt him._ }

   **Hurt him how?**

   {_It could change him Sydney. He could very well be so emotionally and psychically unprepared for the intensity of it that he'd change. He'd not only be able to get past his morals and ethics in simulations, but in real life as well. And the damage couldn't be fixed by a simple injection. It would be permanent._}

   **Like desensitization.**

   {_Precisely._}

   There was a banging on the door and both looked over. A sweeper called out from the other side.

   "Dr. Green? You have three minutes left. Better start wrapping it up."

   "Thank you, I'll be right out."

   Elf 17 quickly pulled out a folded piece of paper and slipped it to Sydney. 

   {_There are the instructions. But please Sydney, I beg of you, please find a way to make Ms. Parker see that he can't remain caged. He can't stay here, he just can't._}

  **I'll do all that I can.**

   Elf 17 smiled and stood up, then held out her hand. "It was nice 'chatting' with you Dr. Green."

   Sydney took her hand. "Well it was nice to analyze you." 

  Then he turned and left, stuffing the folded paper inside the pocket of his briefcase.

6:46 PM

Blue Cove, Delaware

The Centre

Elevator [Going Up]

"So you have it Broots?"

   "Yeah, I know someone who works in the chemical labs. He' the one who gave me the testing results on who Ms. P's brother was." 

   "Can you trust him?" Sydney asked, raising an eyebrow. 

   Broots shuffled his feet. "Yeah. I um, well, I black mailed him."

   "Broots." Sydney scolded with a laugh.  

   "Well, hey, we needed the antidote made and I needed to make sure he wouldn't betray me." 

   "So what happens if he messed up?" 

   "Actually, I don't really mean to go through with the threat. But uh, supposedly, I'd tell Raines what actually happened to the back of his car."

   Sydney furrowed his brow. "What do you mean?"

   "About a month ago I was talking to him in the parking lot, he had offered me a ride home while my car was in the shop and," he gave a little laugh. "He backed the car into Raines' bumper. No one was out there but us, and no one found out, but I'm pretty sure that Raines hasn't forgotten."

   Sydney chuckled. "No, that doesn't seem like something he'd forget."

   The elevator softy stopped and after the doors had opened with a melodious 'ding!' the two stepped out. 

   Broots looked around and after seeing that no one was watching he handed Sydney the vial and needle he'd been given. "I'll wait outside."

   "Thank you Broots." Sydney said, and then began making his way to her office, to give her the cure for Jarod, and to hopefully get her to change her mind.

 "I take it that she found the antidote then?" Ms. Parker asked, looking down at the tools in her hand that would bring back the Jarod she knew.

   Sydney nodded. "She gave us the ingredients and Broots had someone make it for us."

   She smiled. "Good. Then let's go give him his memories." She was all set to leave, but Sydney didn't move. She put a hand on her hip. "Why are you still standing there Spock?"

   Sydney sighed. "Ms. Parker, we can't let Jarod remain in the Centre."

   She didn't do anything for a moment. She just stood there, her expression unreadable. Then she shook her head slowly, angrily pursing her lips. "I knew you shouldn't have gone and talked to her."

   "But she's telling the truth Ms. Parker! Giving him his memories while he remains in a cage will serve no purpose but to prolong the inevitable. The only way he can truly keep his memories will be if he is free to use them."

   "No Sydney, I'm not going to open the door and let him waltz right out." She clenched her jaw. "He stays put."

   "But **_why_** Ms. Parker?"

   "Why? Because that's where he belongs."

   Sydney clenched his fists. "That can't be it Ms. Parker. The man sitting in the cell some twenty to thirty floors below us has done more for you than you own father ever has."

   She turned around abruptly and grabbed a piece of paper off the top of her desk. She walked up to Sydney and held it in front of his face, her tight hold on it crumpling the edge. 

   "Do you see this paper Sydney? It's a change of orders from my father."  She flung it at him and he caught it. "That man is no longer my concern, according to those orders. I'm paying Jarod back for what he's done for me the exact same way he helped me." 

    She let her arms hang loosely at her sides, sadness and pain creeping slowly into her voice. "I'm doing what Jarod did, when he gave me all those clues and phone calls, and gifts that kept me awake at night. I'm giving him the tools to dig up what he needs to free himself. But I'm going to make him dig through ten feet of hard, cold empty earth to find it."  She gave a rueful smile.  "Truth Sydney. Truth can kill you or set you free. I'm giving him his truth, but he's going to have to go through what I did to find it. If it's even there."

   Sydney opened his mouth, but whether to console her or to argue his point, she never found out, because he suddenly stopped, and hung his head sadly before he turned and left. But not before he dropped the paper Ms. Parker had thrown at him and let it float softly to the floor.

   Ms. Parker watched him go, her mouth set in a firm line. She turned and went back into her seat, setting the needle and vial in her pocket and leaning back in her chair.

   "Ms. Parker?" Broots asked, halfway leaning through the door.

   Ms. Parker groaned. "Go **_away_** Broots!"

   "Ac-actually, I can't do that Ms. Parker. Not this time."

   Ms. Parker looked up in surprise, and saw that Broots had actually come inside her office and was standing in front of her desk, actually standing still and tall and not cowering or twitching or nervously playing with his hands. He actually looked calm, and had a cool gaze.

   Ms. Parker was a bit curious and didn't immediately rise up to bite his head off. "What is it Broots?"

   Broots paused for a moment, looking very thoughtful, and then gave a quick, small smile. "Ms. Parker, I don't claim to know anything about the politics of the Centre, and frankly I don't understand how people can kill each other for power, or for recognition. I'm, well, I'm part of the furniture, one of the little people who work behind the scenes that you never see. You and Sydney have made names for yourself here, everyone knows you and some consider you a threat. People here, like your brother or Mr. Raines, or even Mr. Parker, they don't see me as a threat." He laughed. "Heck, I'm not entirely sure if they see me at all."

   Ms. Parker kept quiet, a bit in awe of what he was saying, and the courage he was showing for saying it. She decided to let him finish his speech.

   "Well, what my point is Ms. Parker, is that by being a mousy little decoration, an invisible presence, I'm able to see a lot of things that most people aren't able to. I listen Ms. Parker, and I watch. And I've come to learn who the people at the Centre really are. I've seen their souls." His eyes turned compassionate. "And I've seen yours Ms. Parker. And I've seen the tears you let roll down your cheeks when you think that no one's looking, I've seen the times when you smile. Not smirk or curl your lip but really smile, out of sheer happiness. And I've seen your pain." He licked his lips, beginning to feel uncomfortable, but knowing that he had to continue. "Ms. Parker, you are not an evil woman. You aren't even a mean woman. You are harsh sometimes yes, and you don't let anyone past your barriers because you're afraid of the pain they might cause, but you are good inside. Really, really good, and kind, and decent. You, you would have made your mother proud of you."

  Ms. Parker was overwhelmed by how much his words were getting through to her, and she could feel her throat getting tight.

   "Ms. Parker, I know that it would be hard to live your life, and I find it amazing that you're still able to have so much good inside of you after living in the Centre since you were a child, having your mother killed in front of you, and finding out things about your family that cause your own heart to bleed, from an innocent man that you've been hunting for years." He took in a deep breath, his voice still quiet and soothing. "But I also know Ms. Parker that you, well, that you love Jarod. Somewhere deep inside of you, you love him."

   Ms. Parker's eyes widened but stuck to the promise she'd made to herself and let him continue.

   "And I know what love can do. I've felt the confusion and had the moments when you pray to god that the feeling would go away, that you wouldn't have to love the person anymore because the fact that you can't have them causes you so much pain and torment. " He shrugged and gave a weak laugh. "I've felt it nearly everyday for you." Then a look of a determination entered his eyes. "But I also have realized that it doesn't go away Ms. Parker, no matter how much you pray. You could find someone else, you could ignore the person completely, you could lock them away or tell yourself every morning in the mirror that it's foolish to care for them when they'll never see you the way you see them. But the feeling will stay with you Ms. Parker, and there's no escaping it. And no matter how much anger and frustration and total hopelessness you may feel and that the love you have can never be shared with the person, and that they have to be abandoned, you can't punish them for it. Because in the end it's not their fault." 

   He gave a sad smile, and Ms. Parker realized that he was holding back tears just as strongly as she was. 

   "Ms. Parker, I've watched, and I've listened, and I still can't claim to understand all that I've heard or seen, but I do know that Jarod deserves his freedom, and that you know it as well as me, Sydney, or Elf 17. You love him Ms. Parker, but locking him away and distancing yourself from him won't make the pain go away." He gave a little shrug. "And, that's uh, well, that's all I really have to say."

    "You've been waiting a while to say all of that haven't you?" Ms. Parker asked him quietly.

   "For months if not years." He replied lightly.

   She was silent for a few moments, and Broots bit his lip, hoping that he'd gotten though to her by pouring out his soul and telling her his own secrets thoughts. He hoped he had, because he had nothing more to give.

   Finally, Ms. Parker looked him in the eye, and then let out a loud groan. "Oh all right! Fine!" 

   She stood up and began walking to the door, grabbing Broots' shirt collar and dragging him along with her as she walked.

   "M-Ms. Parker? Where are we going?" Broots asked, finally regaining his voice.

   "We're going to free 'wonder boy' and cure everyone's strange obsession over him."

    "Oh." He responded, confused but relieved.

    The she stopped. "But I'm only going to help him escape if you promise never to barge into my office like that again."

   He smiled at her, knowing that it was her way of saying that what had gone on in there was to remain a secret of the Centre. "Yes Ms. Parker."

   "Good. Because I don't think I could stand to sit through another one of your heart-felt monologues." She said this seriously, but her lips curved into a smile nonetheless.

9:02 PM

Blue Cove, Delaware

The Centre

SL-27 Holding Cell 24

Elf 17 arose from her restful sleep with a jerk as she heard her door being opened. She rubbed her eyes and blinked, before doing a double take at seeing Ms. Parker and Sydney standing in her now lit- up cell.

   She gaped at them. "M-Ms. Parker? Dr. Green?"

   Ms. Parker tapped her foot with annoyance, her arms crossed. She raised a finely crafted eyebrow expectantly. "Well? Are you going to help us free Jarod or what?"

   A sudden grin broke out on Elf 17's face as she heard this, and she leapt up to join them.

************************************************************************************

Yes!! I got this one posted early **_and_** we're getting into the juicy part of the story plot. Yippee! Well, if anyone has something they might want to see or tell me something I did wrong, or something I did right, please give me feedback and tell me about it! Oh, and sorry for the people who don't like the long emotional speeches. I'm a sucker for those sorts of things. J

   Talk to you later!


	13. Musings And Thoughts Before The Storm

**Disclaimer:** No it's not mine. It's just a rental, but what a sweet rental it is! ;)

**Rating: **The usual. PG/PG-13. Nothing new.

**Summary:** In this chapter the escape plan is told and everyone's thoughts on what's going on is made known.

**!!!Author's Note!!!: The feedback I am receiving is extremely intricate and detailed. I LOVE IT!! Oh, and to **joonepur**, I hope this provides an answer to your insightful review.**

**Feedback: (**Shadow Elf must do something if she is to make it to the next realm, but with the evil Maverick blocking her path, the only way out may be to truly do battle with him. But what good can a bard be against a powerful mage?)

   [Shadow Elf holds up her hands in a non-threatening way.] "Look, psycho wizard, anti-Gandalf, whatever you want to call yourself, I don't want to fight you. I just want to travel to the next realm. You can have this one. I've never really been the type who gets involved in these sorts of things anyhow. You want to enslave this world? Go right ahead! I'm not stopping you!"

Maverick: Well I want your mystical energy. We can't get what we want without sacrifice. [He rolls up his long, draping sleeves] Now, let's fight.

   [Shadow Elf rolls her eyes heavenward and moans] "All of this for kissing a damn frog…"

Maverick: [He grins and winks at her] Not only that, but I'm pretty sure that you'll be growing warts.

   [Shadow Elf's eyes become slits] "You are really, really evil."

Maverick: [Shrugging it off] So are politicians, but now one gives **_them_** a bad time about it.

**Quote:  **

"People want to know why I do this, why I write such gross stuff. I like to tell them that I have the heart of a small boy--- and I keep it in a jar on my desk."

----Stephen King

**                                                                                  --------_ShadowElfBard_**

************************************************************************************

**In The Twisted Words Of Paul Revere: **

**The Story Is coming! The Story is Coming!**

9:05 PM

Blue Cove, Delaware

The Centre

Sl-27 Holding Block 24

"So what changed your mind Ms. Parker?" Elf 17 asked as she walked over to them.

   "None of your business." Ms. Parker quipped. "Besides, it would take too long and Dr. Freud and I only have a few minutes before we have to scram."

   Elf 17 stopped walking. "Huh?"

   Ms. Parker raised four fingers lightly to her temple and closed her eyes. "Oh, you tell her Spock."

   Sydney rolled his eyes upward at his nickname but turned to Elf 17. "The escape plan that we have come up with does not involve all of us actively helping him. Broots right now has taken over for a friend in the security control room, so this conversation is not being monitored, and when the true security technician comes back, you'll be in your cell, alone."

   "I will? But I thought we were going to free Jarod."

   "And we will. Or more accurately, you will. Exactly ten minutes after Ms. Parker and I leave this cell, every computer-controlled device in the Centre will shut down. That includes everything from the computers, to certain lights, to the cameras, to the security pads that control the sub levels."

   Elf 17's eyes widened. "Broots is going to override the Centre's computer systems? It sounds like a good plan, I mean after all it means that my cell will be open and I can actually get Jarod out on my own but…won't they suspect him?"

   "No, because Broots will be in Ms. Parker's office in a meeting at the time." He grinned. "He couldn't have possibly done it if he was with Ms. Parker. After all, she's the director's daughter."

   "Ah." Elf 17 nodded her understanding. "And I am to find a way to get both Jarod and I out before the techs fix the problem right?"

   "That was our plan."

   Elf 17 bit her lip. She thought she could get Jarod out safely, but the timing would be a problem. She couldn't really just throw him outside of the Centre and hand him the needle and antidote telling him to stick them in himself. But then again, she couldn't escape with him either, not if she was going to offer herself up to the Centre as a sacrificial lamb. This escape was going to need to be pinned on someone, and Elf 17 was going to make sure that the Centre pinned it on her. She'd take whatever punishment they came up with, even her own death. It would be worth it if Jarod got free.

   She looked up at Sydney and Ms. Parker, who had been watching the emotions as they flitted across Elf 17's face.

   She gave them a smile of reassurance. "Thank you very much Ms. Parker and Sydney. I will make good use of the time that is to be provided for me."

   "You'd better," Ms. Parker threatened, narrowing her eyes. "Broots is risking his neck for this chance to free freak-brain. I won't allow you to screw it up and have the Centre find out that it was Broots."

   "You really care about him Ms. Parker," Elf 17 commented thoughtfully.

   "He's a good friend, and he has a daughter who needs him." Ms. Parker replied. "Just, just get out of here safely."

   "Jarod will be free Ms. Parker, that I promise you." 

   "I hope so, for your sake." Ms. Parker made to turn and leave, but when she heard Elf 17's voice she turned back around.

   Elf 17 sighed. "I was wrong about you Ms. Parker. You are truly as kind inside as Jarod told me."

Ms. Parker stared at her for a moment, a taken off guard, and then slowly nodded before turning around and walking out, the sound of her stiletto heels echoing down the hall, and with Sydney following behind with a thoughtful look on his face.

   Elf 17 had briefly contemplated telling them of her plan to stay behind and let the Centre punish her for Jarod's escape, but had reasoned that it was best that they didn't know. This way, she could be sure her plan wouldn't be stopped by outside interference. She glanced at the wall clock inside of her cell.

   Nine minutes left and counting.

Eight Minutes Remaining

SL-27 Holding Block 25

CP 1 couldn't sleep. The simulation he'd done with Mr. Lyle today had been horrible. He'd been simulating Mr. Lyle himself, and it had scared him more than anything he'd ever done. During the sim he'd also come to a very frightening conclusion.

   Mr. Lyle was an evil and psychotic man.

He'd always known that Mr. Lyle wasn't kind, and that he wasn't a man to cross because he didn't care much about causing pain as a punishment. But the sim he'd gone through…he never, ever wanted to do it again. Never. It was just sick and wrong. The man was dangerous, there was no doubt about that, and CP 1 would have to be careful around him. Which would be easy, since ever since he'd first saw him CP 1 had unexplainably known to fear him.

   There was something else that was keeping CP 1 awake tonight. It had been the dream he'd had a few days ago. It was happening more frequently. Nearly every time he went to sleep. Only, last night it had elaborated some. In the new version of the dream, after he'd seen himself in the cage, and fell into the clear and liquid abyss, he'd been able to turn around and see two faces looking down at him from the surface of the liquid. Mocking faces; faces that laughed at him. They had been the faces of Mr. Lyle and Mr. Raines. 

   Ever since the change in the dream, he'd begun to look at it as more than a simple nightmare. Perhaps, perhaps it even had something to do with why he had amnesia. So far no one had been able to tell him the truth about it. They'd always either change the subject, or tell him not to worry about it. The first time he'd asked Mr. Raines, the doctor had actually gotten angry with him. The experience hadn't been pleasant.

   The last thing that had been bothering him (besides a weird candy craving that he hadn't been able to understand) was the person he'd seen in the vents. 

   He'd been sitting having lunch in the Sim Lab, drinking his soymilk, eating his wheat grass, and taking his essential vitamins and minerals in pill form, when he'd felt someone watching him. Mr. Raines had been out talking to the director at the time, and the sweepers had been guarding the locked door on the outside, so no one had been in there with him. Yet he'd felt it, he'd **_known _**it. But strangely, he hadn't been scared. It had actually made him happy. Again he couldn't explain why, but he'd known that whoever was watching him was a friend. His suspicions of a watcher had also been confirmed, when he heard the person moving through the vents above when Mr. Raines had come back in. He'd caught a glimpse of a face, and a name had popped into his head.

   Angelo. 

   And boy had Mr. Raines gotten angry when he asked about him! His face had gotten all red, he'd yelled at him and told him that sims were over for the day and commanded the sweepers to take CP 1 back to his cell. When CP 1 had been leaving, he'd heard Mr. Raines yelling at Mr. Lyle about it on the phone. Something about CW-A-41 and the possibility that it was beginning to lose its effect. CP 1 had no idea about what he'd meant, and still didn't for that matter, but he knew it was important, and that he had to find out the truth about it. 

   One thing he'd always known, even when he'd first woken up not knowing who he was or why he was here, the truth **_had _**to be known. 

   CP 1 nodded in concurrence to his own thoughts. Yep, the truth was important, and he'd find out what it was, or die in the attempt.

Five Minutes Remaining

Sydney's Office

Sydney intertwined his fingers and with his elbows on his desk, and used his clasped hands to hold up his head as he stared into nothingness. He was worried (as he often was these days) and he wasn't entirely sure that the plan they'd come up with would work. Surely it would at least divert blame from the three of them, if it went as planned, but he was more concerned about whether or not Raines' project…no, _Elf 17_ he corrected himself, would be able to get Jarod and herself out in time. Surely the girl was nothing if not brilliant, and quite talented as well, but to get an amnesiac out of the American version of the Bastille, escape without getting caught **_and _**give the man back his memory at some point or another before the techs get the computer functions going again, which was likely to be about twenty minutes or so…well, it was a mind boggling task. It would be completely impossible for Ms. Parker or himself, but then again, she wasn't the average person. Not by a long shot.

   He crinkled his brow as he contemplated her reaction earlier when they'd told her of the plan. When she'd sat there, quietly thinking, the most curious thought had popped into his head. He'd dismissed it, passing it off as just the foolish thinking of a tired mind, but now…he wasn't so sure. He hadn't been hired as the Centre psychologist for nothing after all, just as the Centre hadn't accidentally employed the fast thinking and intelligent technician known as Broots. And one of the emotions his well-trained psychiatrist eyes had caught occupying Elf 17's features had been a kind of regret. Perhaps even sorrow. He couldn't understand then what a person would have to regret or be sad about when given the news that they can escape a prison that has held them for so long. But now he thought he might have an idea.

   Perhaps, she was regretting being told of the escape, and of the possibility of freedom, because she wasn't planning on taking it herself.

   Years ago he might have snorted derisively at this, called it ludicrous and come up with another explanation. But he was different now from when he'd been a young, eager and quite idealistic youth searching to cure the world of its madness by advancements in science and psychological research. He'd been through too much, seen too many people's unpredictable reactions and discovered too many secrets to dismiss an idea such as this one, no matter how improbable it seemed at first glance.

   But if he chose to pursue his theory, to think that Elf 17 was indeed planning on staying behind but letting Jarod free, then he'd have to come up with a solid reason as to why she'd choose such a severe course of action. And that was where he ran into a ninety-foot high brick wall. Because, what reason could one possibly have for giving up their freedom? The plan was sound, there was no call of distractions to keep the Centre busy, no need for someone to go out as bait. But she had to have a reason, and thumping good one at that. After all, Jarod's own priorities were family and freedom. This entire country was based on it, for god's sake! Why give up something so precious as your own right to liberty? Sydney would wager that even if his own life depended on it Jarod wouldn't give his freedom up--no, wait a moment, that's not right. Jarod's always put others lives before his own. 

   Jarod had told him on many an occasion that he'd give up his own life before he'd willingly give up his freedom, that had always been an easy decision for the pretender, but never once has he had to question whether he was willing to give up **_someone else's_** life for his freedom. Hmm. Certainly to a pretender such as Jarod or, even Elf 17, someone who revered life so much, they'd give up their own chance at a normal life should another person's survival be threatened by the outcome of their decision. That would be a plausible reason to give up their liberty. 

   Sydney leaned back in his chair, putting his hands behind his head and gazing up at the ceiling with tired eyes and a thoughtful look on his face. But if such were the case for Elf 17's decision, (should his theory be correct) whom would she be trying to save? The three of them were fine, Broots, himself, Ms. Parker, they're protected. Who could…what reason would she… why…

   Sydney sighed loudly and folded his arms on the top of his desk, resting his head upon them.

   "I'm getting too old for this sort of thing." 

Three minutes Remaining

Ms. Parker's Office

   Broots cast a nervous and all-around anxious glance in the direction of Ms. Parker. He couldn't stop fiddling with his hands and it felt as though a wild rabbit was beating in his chest, trying to break loose. He ran a worried hand over his head for perhaps the tenth time and scratched the hair he had back there. Anticipation was not a fun feeling…

   Ms. Parker noticed every uneasy movement Broots made (after all he was just on the other side of her desk) and was beginning to become effected by it. If he didn't calm down soon she wasn't sure she could stop herself from smacking him upside the head. She saw him crossing his legs and uncrossing them, then giving up altogether and putting both feet on the floor before, his hands resting upon his thighs, and bouncing them up and down. Finally she couldn't take it any longer.

   "That's enough Broots!" she yelled, standing up and glaring at him.

   Broots stopped moving instantly and widened his eyes in stunned silence. Then he smiled sheepishly. "Oh, I-I'm sorry Ms. P it's just that I'm worried about Elf 17 and whether the plan will run smoothly or not and if we'll get blamed and such."

   Ms. Parker sat down and sighed. "I understand that, we're all worried, but," she narrowed her eyes. "That doesn't mean you can hop around like a teenager on a date with way too many hormones in his blood."

   "Sorry."

   "You're forgiven. Now, when do you start the process?" 

   "Oh." He turned to the laptop resting on Ms. Parker's desk and checked the progress. "Uh, well I should be able to manually shut them down in about oh, one minute. Give or take a few seconds that is."

   "So everything's prepared?"

   "Everything Ms. P." He began twiddling his thumbs. "Hey Ms. Parker?"

   "Yes Broots?"

   He looked at the floor in embarrassment for a moment before speaking. "Um, you don't have to answer this if you don't want to, I mean I'd understand and all, but I've been wondering, what is it that women want in a man?"

   Ms. Parker's mouth opened slightly. This day was getting weird. "Well Broots, most women want someone who is kind to them, truthful, courageous, and is not a typical chauvinist pig."

   "Is that all? What about looks?"

   Ms. Parker stared at him and his attentive expression. _Poor guy, looks as eager as a kid at Christmas…_ "The things that matter when a woman looks for a man do not include looks."

   He snorted softly. "Oh come on Ms. Parker. We both know that women want someone with a strong muscle build, rugged face and pretty eyes. " He sighed a bit angrily. 

    "Why are you asking about this Broots?" she asked him seriously, though she was half-wishing that they could drop the subject. She'd never thought she'd be the one to give any advice on love. God knows her decisions haven't been all that great. 

   Broots shrugged half-heartedly. "I don't know Ms. Parker I'm just…I'm just becoming lonely you know? And I'd like to start dating again and I was hoping you could give me some pointers."

   Ms. Parker was getting uncomfortable, much like a parent who's been asked by their five-year-old child where babies come from. "Well…"

   There was a soft beeping from the laptop and Broots turned to it quickly and began typing and clicking furiously. "Ms. Parker, I'm in."

   _Saved by the beep…_

 Broots suddenly stopped in his mad actions and then turned the laptop so that it faced her.

   Ms. Parker looked and saw the white message on the screen, asking for a confirmation on the shutdown.

   He looked at her with questioning eyes and she pursed her lips and gave a solemn nod. 

   Broots hovered the pointer above the box marked 'yes' and then said a silent prayer for Elf 17.

   "Good luck." He whispered, and then he clicked.

SL-27 Holding Block 24

Elf 17 was pacing restlessly, her muscles coiled and her senses on the alert. She wanted to be aware of every smell, every sound, every touch and every taste. She would not let this plan fail, and she would get Jarod out. She'd made this vow to herself and to Ms. Parker, and she had no intention of breaking it.

   She wondered how exactly she was going to give Jarod his memory back before they got out of the Centre, and was answered by the fix-all answer of 'worry about that when you get to it'. She'd decided earlier that Jarod with his memory would be much more useful than the loyal dog he now was. 

Which, if you thought about it, was an extremely good analogy. Like with a dog, you could kick it, hit it, yell at it, and nearly starve it, and in the end it would still follow you obediently, hopelessly clinging on to you out of need.

    _Which is why you need to free him, _a voice of reason reminded her. Yes. That was why she needed to free him, and she was overjoyed at the prospect of his liberation, but she still felt a bit of sorrow that she would not be joining him. _But you know why you need to stay behind,_ she was again reminded. _And it works out for his best interests. _Again, she understood the need, but she still felt so pained. Why? She had every logical reason to stay behind, it worked out for him, and though he might disagree with her decision when he discovered it, he'd understand later on. If all this was true than why did she still feel so bad? 

   Elf 17's need to be the sacrifice served many purposes, the main ones being something to occupy the sweepers chasing him should they be discovered, and it would also serve as a way to ensure that she'd take full blame for Jarod's escape, and also to keep the Centre's sights on her rather than him (after he'd escaped) for as long as possible.

   She sat down on her "bed" and folded her hands, resolute in her decision and once again reassured that it was the right choice. She would miss the outside world greatly though, and the foods she'd discovered, (namely a chip brand called puffy cheetos), and she would forever regret not being able to see the sky again. That had been the one thing she'd cherished most on her trip with Broots, the infinite and beautifully serene sky with its wide blue expanse and its puffy cotton clouds. Yes, she would miss that terribly.

   _I wonder if they'll kill me as punishment_. She mused thoughtfully to herself. _It seems reasonable enough. Would the Centre drag it out? Or maybe it would be a simple injection. Hmmm. Hey, maybe if I attacked Lyle right before the execution I'd be able to take him down with me._

She was calmly contemplating what death would be like, and if killing Lyle would be against her morals and ethics, when everything was abruptly coated in an impenetrable darkness…

************************************************************************************

**    I know, I know. I'm mean, it's not fair… Yeah I hate cliffhangers too but this time it was necessary! I wanted to give you guys something to tie you over while I worked on the exciting chapter. Speaking of which, the next chapter will be up as soon as possible, and I personally apologize to** maestra **for not giving Jarod his name back in this chapter. But don't fret, as you said, Elf 17 'has the power' (LOL) and she will put it to good use.**

**        I will eternally love and cherish feedback, comments, and questions! The longer the better! **

**                ------See you soon! (I hope)**


	14. Battle fought, Freedom Gained

**Disclaimer: **I intend no copyright infringement nor do I wish to be hauled into court. So, let's all save each other a lot of trouble and time, and just pass this chapter off as the ramblings of an insane eighth grader hmm? Please?

**Rating: **Oh, let's name it a mild PG-13 this time around.

**Summary:** In this installment in the saga of Elf 17, things heat up as Elf 17 tries to give Jarod his memory back during a flight for freedom. But the question remains, will the person Jarod's become trust her, and will he even want to leave? [Keep an eye out, something might **_actually _**happen in this chapter ;)]

**!!! Author's Note!!!: **There is only one chapter after this one, but don't worry, there's more coming. Check my bio if you would like to see what I mean. Oh, and a warm welcome to whitefire. Glad you're enjoying the story!

**Feedback: **(Shadow Elf has come to the decision that in order to get past this rather demented but powerful mage, she will indeed have to fight him. Perhaps she'll be able to match wit against brawn)

   [Shadow Elf raises her hands above her head dramatically] "I'd watch out if I were you mister, I've got, um, powers! Yeah! Powers beyond your mere mortal imagining." _Oh shit. If this doesn't work I'm so screwed…_

Maverick: [Merely raising an eyebrow] Really? You wouldn't mind a demonstration then correct? After all, if you're as powerful as you claim…

[All color drains from Shadow Elf's face but she gives a weak smile] "Uh, sure, yeah, okay." [Clears throat] "Hear me oh, goddess… uh, Hecta!" _okay, you've never been that great at using your powers but try to call upon a sword or something. _"I ask you for a um, sword! Appear in thy hand!"

   (There is a poof of blue smoke above Shadow Elf's hand, as she uses her rather amateur powers.)

[Shadow Elf smiles as the smoke clears] "Hah! You better watch out Mr. Mage because I have a…[she stares dumbfounded at what's in her hand] "A sandwich?"

Maverick: [His jaw drops as he stares at the materialized PB&J sandwich in her hand] Oh now this is just sad… 

**Quote: **

**"I'm all in favor of keeping dangerous weapons out of the hands of fools. Let's start with typewriters." **

- **Frank Lloyd Wright**

*************************************_ShadowElfBard_*************************************

**Reader's Ask, Writer Delivers**

9:15 PM

Blue Cove, Delaware

The Centre

SL-27 Holding Block 24

The second that the lights went out, Elf 17 leapt off of her bed and bolted to the door. Her eyes adjusted immediately to the pitch black around her and adrenaline began pumping through her body, urging her muscles to work with all of the power inside of them. Without meaning to, her transformation took over and as she threw open the door her spliced eyes could see all of the confused sweepers running around, bumping into each other in the darkness.

   She couldn't help but smirk at them.

   She turned away from their clumsiness and began to focus on her prey. _No! _A silent voice called out at her in protest. _Not your prey! Not your prey! _The animal inside of her tried to ignore the voice and keep hold, but slowly she was able to take control once more. _My_ _transformations are becoming more and more unstable,_ she noticed with a slight shudder as she was back in her own mindset. 

   She began scanning through the black void that had engulfed the sub-level, and then saw Jarod's door. She advanced cautiously, moving gracefully past sweepers who weren't able to see their own nose in the complete lack of light. Upon reaching the door she merely pushed it open, thanking whatever gods there may be that nearly everything from sub-level twenty-seven to sub-level twenty-one was completely controlled by computers.

    As soon as she looked in she spotted him, sitting on his bed with a complete look of bafflement over his features. He wasn't scared or frightened at all, merely confused. She approached him silently, her bare feet providing her the padding she needed to remain unknown to him. When she was perhaps a foot away she purposely cracked her knuckles to grab his attention. 

   His face spun towards her direction, a bit of fear creeping into his eyes. "Who's there? What's going on?"

    Elf 17 sighed. Here came the hard part. "Jarod, I'm right in front of you. My name is Elf 17."

   "Huh? Who's Jarod?"

   She could have kicked herself. _Duh, you idiot! He doesn't remember his name! _"Um, what's your name?"

   "My name is CP 1, I belong to the Centre." He told her slowly, as if wondering whether or not it was a good idea to talk to her. Suddenly all of his questions seemed to pop out at once. "What's going on? Did Mr. Raines send you? Why aren't the lights working? Do I need to fix them?"

   "Well you see…" _Think fast…_

   He raised an eyebrow. "Is this a simulation?"

   "Yes! Yes, this is a simulation." Elf 17 told him enthusiastically, thankful for the idea he gave her.

   "What am I supposed to be simulating?"

   "You are to…to simulate someone trying to get out of the Centre, while evading sweepers. Mr. Raines told me so."

    "Oh." He went silent for a moment. "How old are you? You sound very young to be working for the Centre." He stared in the direction of her voice a little longer and then his eyes widened. "You're a pretender aren't you?"

   She gave a little shrug, getting into the pretend she'd created for herself with ease. "Yeah. I'm going to be simulating with you."

   "With me? I've never done a double simulation before." 

   "I haven't either. But I'm the only one who can see in the dark, and every sublevel up to twenty is going to be blacker than Raines' soul."

   He blinked.

   "Uh, forget that reference. Let's just simulate hmm? Before Mr. Raines or Mr. Lyle gets mad?"

   He immediately jumped up and prepared to follow her. 

   She smiled once more and then began walking out, when she realized he wasn't following. She turned back around.  "Aren't you coming?"

   "I can't see you."

   She slapped her forehead, god she was being stupid today. "Okay don't move. Now you're going to feel something touch your pants but it's only me okay? Just stay still."

   She could smell the fear and nervousness coming off of him as she knelt on the ground beside him and reached for his pant legs. What was he so worried about… then it hit her. She jumped up and moved back from him. "Whoa! No, no! I'm not doing that! I'm just ripping off some of the fabric from your pant legs!"

   He calmed noticeably.

   She knelt back down beside him. "Men." She muttered as she ripped off a good strip. She then grabbed CP 1's arm, and tied an end of the fabric to his wrist.

    She stood up and grabbed a hold of the loose end, pulling on it once or twice to make sure her knot held.

   "All right CP 1, I pull and you follow. Easy enough to understand?"

   "Yes."

   "Good. Let's get going." 

  She headed out the door of his cell, tugging on the fabric to get him to move faster, hoping fervently that this "simulation" didn't backfire on her.

   CP 1 didn't complain as she jogged faster, his mind already deeply involved in the sim, and so the two just moved through the darkness in silence, running like the hounds of hell were nipping at their heels. Which, if you thought about it, was an extremely accurate comparison.

Time Undeterminable

The Centre

Lyle's Personal Office

Lyle was seated comfortably at his large and rather expensive desk, enjoying the soft padding of his tall and exquisite chair, while he worked on some evaluations on his brand new computer. Suddenly, the computer screen turned black.

   "Wha--hey!" He yelled at he computer, before smacking it and trying to turn it back on. He eventually gave up and angrily stormed over to his intercom. 

   He pressed the button. "Ming? My computer just shut down, is something going on?" 

   Ming was his secretary, a twenty-nine year old Chinese woman who was just as confused as he was at the moment. "I'm not sure sir. My computer has gone off as well--" There was suddenly the sound of a phone ringing in the background. 

   "One moment Mr. Lyle." Ming said, before turning away from the intercom to answer the call.

   Lyle tapped his foot impatiently as he waited for her to come back. When she did, she sounded very worried.

   "Mr. Lyle? That was the director! He says that there has been a Centre-wide computer failure, and that he needs you to come down to his office straight away!"

   Lyle blanched as he thought of the implications. He didn't even say goodbye as he disconnected his intercom conversation, he just turned and left, nearly sprinting out the door and down the hall.

   As soon as he'd gone, an air vent door was pushed open, and a mildly nervous Angelo crept out. He looked around the office once or twice, as if checking to see if anyone was watching him, and then scurried over to Lyle's desk. 

   He opened one drawer after another, muttering about 'Elf' and 'the key'. He stopped as he reached the third drawer down on the left side of the desk, and a little grin came to his face. He reached his hand in, and there was a flash of silver and black before he tucked away what he'd taken into his shirt. He then closed the drawer and jumped back into the air vent, going to travel wherever he needed to go to carry out his mission, whatever it may be.

Time Undeterminable

The Centre

SL-20

Elf 17 and CP 1 had been moving upward for seven floors now, their presence masked by darkness, which caused all of the sweepers on those levels who would have been problems to become as insignificant and harmless as ants. They'd scurry around, hurrying wherever they went, but they weren't large enough to cause any real damage. 

   But once they'd reached sub-level twenty, it had all changed.

   The sub-levels weren't all mysterious. Floors one through ten were your basic supply closets and storage areas, nothing really big in any way. Eleven though seventeen were legitimate projects, that if checked out by FBI or CIA or any other government intelligence and law enforcement teams would check out as normal, regular, run-of-the-mill science experiments. Eighteen through twenty however, were the Pretender project areas. Sim labs, physical training gyms, computer labs, offices of various semi-higher-ups of the Centre, were all on those floors. None of that would really have been a problem, had it not been for the fact that the lights up here were run by good old-fashioned switches and electricity.

   Which meant that shutting down the computer functions would still leave the lights on.

   Which meant that every sweeper on the floor would easily see them.

   Which meant that if they weren't careful, they'd be thrown back into their cells before they even reached floor nineteen.

   CP 1, still simulating, pointed out this problem to her before they'd reached the level. She'd known about it also, and had been running possible evasions of capture though her head, but because CP 1 had already been in pretender mode, he'd already had a solution in mind.

   "Ma'm?" he asked her quietly. They were paused at the door that led out to sub-level twenty-one, Elf 17 standing in front of him. 

   She turned at his voice and then gave him a sad smile, which she knew he couldn't see in the dark. "Jar- CP 1," she corrected herself, "please don't call me ma'm. There's enough of an age difference between us for you to be my father. Just call me Elf 17."

   "All right then, Elf 17 it is." A bit of his old "Jarod bravado" was shining through. CP 1 felt the change, and found he rather enjoyed it. "The next level we are attempting to escape through will be lit up. I take it you know this?" 

   "Yes."

   "Right then. It hasn't been that long since the floors have lost computer access and control. So, the sweepers on this floor will most likely not have any orders yet." He paused, analyzing in silence. "We have two obvious choices presented. One is-"

   "We rush in and use brute force to get through and the other is to stay out of sight."

   "Precisely. I think that perhaps brute force would not work well, seeing as that is what the sweepers have been taught to handle. So hiding, evading, where will we be able to do that best?"

   She went quiet, mentally following his logic to see where it would lead. She smiled when she reached the destination he'd come up with. "The air vents."

   "Yes. And we can follow them all the way out to-"

   "No, we can't. The farthest we can travel using them is level ten. The Centre sees the air vents as an obvious escape route. Ours will have to be unpredictable and ever-changing."

   "Point made." He agreed. "May I remove the fabric from my wrist though? It's rather irritating."

   "Go right ahead." 

   He did so and then rubbed his wrist, feeling nothing but his own smooth skin. "Thank you. I-I have a thing about being locked onto something."

   Elf 17 touched the metal collar around her neck lightly. She knew exactly what he meant. "Are you prepared to enter?"

   "Yes. Let us continue the simulation."

    She flinched at the mention, but of course, because they were in the dark, he didn't notice.

Time Undeterminable

The Centre

Mr. Parker's office

Lyle entered the room in a hurry, eager to find out what was going on. Inside, Mr. Parker sat fuming at his desk, Raines stood angrily on his left, Bridgett was sitting suggestively on his desk at the right, and an annoyed Ms. Parker with her frightened technician stood in the back corner of the room.

   "Lyle, glad you could join us." Ms. Parker said sarcastically, not meaning a word of it.

   "Hello sis." Lyle responded just as falsely, noticing how her technician avoided his gaze.

    "Now that everyone's here, let's just get down to the point, " Mr. Parker said, folding his hands. "There has been a Centre-wide computer failure. We have all of our technicians on the problem," then Mr. Parker saw Broots, who was knocking his knees together with nervousness. "Well, almost all of them."

   Ms. Parker rolled her eyes upward. "I told you, I was in a meeting with him. One that I need to finish once we get past all of this crap. He's not going anywhere."

   Raines glared at Broots, and Broots met his gaze briefly before closing his eyes and pretending that he was standing in a deep dark hole where no one could reach him. While he was at it, he pictured that Ms. Parker was with him too. Raines had turned away from him so nobody noticed the small smile that crept onto his face.

   "Dad," Lyle said, trying to get his fathers attention. "What are we dong about the computer failure? What sweepers have been sent down? For all we know everybody we have locked down in the sublevels could be loose right now."

   Mr. Parker opened his mouth to answer his son but was interrupted when Raines' two-way radio beeped. Raines clicked it open and raised it to his mouth and ear.

   "What is it?" He rasped. (…) "Who's escaped?" (…) Raines eyes narrowed. "What?" he didn't yell but made his tone low and deadly. (…) "Well then get on it! Now!" He clicked the radio off and regarded Mr. Parker grimly. "Jarod is out. As is Elf 17."

   Everyone's eyes widened with the exception of Broots and Bridgett. Bridgett had just raised an eyebrow and Broots still had his eyes closed.

   Raines continued. "The sweepers have received flashlights from storage and just discovered the disappearances. The three other projects we have down in SL-27 didn't move when the lights went out and are already sedated by the doctors down there and have been moved to a lockable location." 

   "Jarod's gone?!" Ms. Parker yelled furiously, putting on an act. "Oh now this is just great. What do you want to bet that 'Wonder Boy' is already half way across the state line." 

   Lyle and Raines exchanged looks. 

   "Actually Ms. Parker, he is almost definitely still in the building." Raines said, hiding his hatred for the woman because he was in the chairman's presence. "It seems that Elf 17 decided to escape and is dragging Jarod along with her, but there are some…failsafe devices that have been planted to keep both of them within the Centre boundaries."

   Ms. Parker crossed her arms, unimpressed. "Oh really? What, did you plant a homing device on one of them?"

   Lyle and Raines once again looked at each other.

   "Oh you have to be kidding me." Ms. Parker sneered at them, though inside she was wondering how this would affect Jarod and Elf 17's escape. "That's your failsafe device? I think one of them would notice if they were carrying a damn tracking device."

   "The tracking device will work. It will activate the moment that the one wearing it leaves the Centre." Raines told her. "As it had not gone off, I can only presume that they have not yet left." 

   "Presume all you want you walking corpse, but if Jarod's gone it's on your shiny head." Ms. Parker snarled at him.

   "Please Angel, we don't time for this." Mr. Parker admonished. "Let's just help the sweeper teams in whatever way we can and put the two back where they belong hmm?"

   Bridgett leaned against Mr. Parker seductively and he put an arm around her. Bridget looked at Ms. Parker, still sucking on a red lollipop. "Yes hon, listen to your daddy. He knows what's right." She looked up at the chairman and winked. "Don't you love?"

   Mr. Parker smiled warmly at his newly wed. "That I do sweetheart."

   Ms. Parkers eye twitched and she unconsciously began reaching for her gun, either to shoot the blond or herself. Raines looked sick at the disgusting display, and Lyle just tilted his head thoughtfully as he thought of how his father would react if he knew that his son had slept with his current wife twice in the week before the two's wedding. Broots was **_still_** living within his self-created pretend. _God how Jarod must love this…_he thought as his 'dream Parker' told him how strong and brave and attractive he was.

   Mr. Parker then turned away from Bridgett and cleared his throat, realizing how much attention they were receiving. "Now then, you angel, can go finish you meeting with uh, with um," he looked at the technician. "What was your name again?"

   Broots glazed eyes snapped back into focus. "Huh? Oh it's uh, Broots sir."

   Mr. Parker nodded. "Ah of course.'' Even as he said this Broots realized that he was going to forget his name again within the next two minutes. "So angel, you can go finish your meeting with Broods," Broots rolled his eyes upward, "and Raines and Lyle will work as hard as they can to bring the others back in right?" he gave the two a meaningful look and they both nodded simultaneously. 

   "As long as I can leave." Ms. Parker growled. She grabbed Broots' shirt collar, as he was trying to get back to his fantasy daydream, and stalked out.

Time Undeterminable

The Centre

SL-11

Elf 17 held back a sneeze as she rounded yet another corner in the dusty air vents. CP 1 was behind her, though she'd insisted that he go first, and he traveled through the gray metallic tunnels as though he'd been born to it. 

   "How are you doing back there?" she asked him, not able to look behind her because of the confined space. 

   "I'm doing fine." He paused. "Elf 17?"

   "Yes?"

    "I know I'm not supposed to break sim but, at what point are we to stop the simulation? When do we go back to our cells?"

   Elf 17, for all her pretending skills and genius, could not stop her breath from catching in her throat.

   CP1 stayed quiet, awaiting her answer.

   "We are to continue the simulation all of the way through." She told him, hating herself for having to lie to him, but knowing it was for his own good. 

   "All the way through?" CP 1 asked in disbelief. "But Mr. Raines and Mr. Lyle have hardly let me leave my cell for lunch, much less go outside of the Centre."

  "Apparently you've earned their trust." Elf 17 said back nonchalantly.

   CP 1 went quiet and they continued on, though Elf 17 was beginning to wonder whether or not he'd bought her explanation.

   When they'd reached the next sub-level, sub-level 10, they became aware of sounds resembling mass hysteria outside of the vents. They peeked out through some metallic slits and saw that large numbers of sweepers were running down to the lower sub-levels, while others remained on this floor, looking around, communicating with two-way radios or just running around in a panic. The one thing that they all had in common was the firearm at their side, and the tranquilizer gun in their hands.

   CP 1 scanned the area, and then noticed the same thing that Elf 17 had. There was an area being ignored completely, and in that area were three different doors that no doubt led into three different rooms. Should they have to, it would be no trouble to go in and hide in one of the three rooms until things outside had died down. 

   The one thing that Elf 17 had considered that was different from CP 1's thoughts however, was that it would be a perfect place to brig the old Jarod back privately. She had a feeling that his presence would greatly aid the escape, and practically secure their success. The problem was though, that it would take time and it would require his cooperation. She then glanced over at him and his intense gaze as he watched the sweepers, oblivious to how real this escape "simulation" actually was. 

   _Perhaps it's time. _She thought to herself. _He'd just run back to his cell once he found out about my lie should I wait until we're out of the Centre. Maybe if I bring him back inside, it'll work out._

   She made her decision. "CP 1? Theoretically should we choose to hide in one of those three unguarded and decidedly empty rooms, which would you choose? I believe that one of the two on the left side of the hall would work, but can't make up my mind on which one in particular."

   He lightly pursed his lips. "Well, I se your reason for picking the ones on the left and agree with it. I think that the first door would be best, given its location and lack of windows."

   She nodded, agreeing with him. "All right then, let's prepare to get over."

   He looked at her questioningly. "We're going over?"

   "Yes. There isn't a problem with that is there?"

  "No, the decision just took me by surprise is all." He jerked his head in the direction of one of the air vent openings. "Let's get to it."

   She moved to the side as best she could to let him past her and watched silently as he crawled off. "Yes," she whispered, "let's."

   She then moved off to follow him.

Time Undeterminable

The Centre

Mr. Lyle's Office

Lyle burst into his office, ignoring the questioning yell he received from his secretary, as he slammed shut his door. He didn't mean to be rude, but didn't have time to be polite with Elf 17 and Jarod running loose.

   He ran his gloved hand through his hair and straightened his tie, preparing to look calm and cool once he left his office. He tried to slow down his rapidly beating heart and just quietly walked over to his desk.

   Raines had told him what to fetch, though he needn't have bothered. Lyle had been planning on grabbing it anyhow, and intended to use it once he caught up with one of the particular escapees. 

   He reached down and began pulling open the third drawer on the left side of his desk. A smirk grew on his face just picturing a scene in his mind. Cornering the pretender, watching the trembling and smelling the fear as he pulled out the…

   His jaw dropped so low it threatened to unhinge and fall off.

   It was gone! Oh God it was gone!

   He frantically rummaged through the drawer, and upon finding nothing began to go through the other drawers as well. His calm facade forgotten, he threw papers left and right, pulled out the drawers and dumped their contents on the ground. 

   In the end he shook with rage, his desks items littering his once clean floor, and his eyes burned with unbridled anger and a hint of insanity. But it was gone, and he wouldn't find it in time.

   And up in the air vents of the Centre, Angelo crawled on.

Time Undeterminable

The Centre

SL-10---Computer Storage Room

"Get in here quick!" Elf 17 hissed, after getting the door open. Cp 1 ran out from behind the corner and rushed in, barely making it inside before Elf 17 slammed and locked the door.

   The room they were in was clearly a storage area of computers. There were boxes on shelves, old and molding with faint marker on the sides that years ago named what was stored. There was a workbench with piled monitors, a metal organizer with clear containers that showed computer bits and scraps, motherboards, and hard drives. There was a camera in the corner, but Elf 17 thought that even if the computer functions were to go back on the camera would still remain lifeless.

   CP 1 looked didn't look around as Elf 17 did, and hardly noticed at all where he was. Something more important was preoccupying his thoughts.

   "This isn't a simulation is it?" he whispered quietly.

   Elf 17 turned and met his gaze slowly and calmly, knowing that she had to tell him the truth. "No. This is very, very real. When did you first know?"

   "About two levels down. The sweepers were too good at acting, and you were too calm. Had you really been simulating, you would have been nervous or agitated, just as your subject would have been. "

   Elf 17 gave a small smile. "And that's why you're the master pretender." _No matter what Raines or Lyle says._

   "Who are you?" he asked her.

   "I have no more of an answer to that question than you do concerning yourself."

   "Then why am I here with you? Why did you bring me?"

   She closed her eyes and let out a calming breath. "You are here CP 1, because you are not what Raines and Lyle have been trying to teach you to be." She opened her eyes. "Your name is Jarod. You have been at the Centre since you were a boy, but a few years ago you escaped, and you lived out your life as normally as you could and used your genius and gifts to help others while evading the Centre's pursuit team. About a week or so ago, I was sent out to hunt you down and bring your in. I caught up with you, and had been planning to let you go, but Lyle and the Centre got the best of us." She clenched her teeth angrily. "We were caught, and upon arrival at the Centre you were injected with a newly created chemical named CW-A-41. It's a colorless and odorless chemical that creates amnesia by tricking the brain into thinking that the memories you have stored are harmful, causing the brain to create a mental block to do what it believes is necessary to protect itself."

    CP 1's eyes widened, and he fought against images from the dreams he'd been having. "What are you saying?"

   "I'm saying that everything you've come to believe in the past few days has been a carefully constructed lie with no other purpose but to blind you from the truth so that you will remain he Centre's obedient lapdog."

   He backed away from her, denying all that he'd been told. It couldn't be true, it wasn't true. The Centre was his home, his family. His only family. They cared for him, he served only them, it wasn't true… and yet he kept seeing it. Locked in a cage, drowning in a chemical lake, staring into the faces of Lyle and Raines as he fell. Maybe it was true. But why would they do that to him? Why would they be so mean? Tears began to fall and he didn't try to stop them. The little boy that Jarod had turned back into since his manufactured amnesia was just too weak to handle the pain he was feeling.

   Elf 17 was torn up inside watching all of the emotions he bore so clearly. She known that it would be rough for him, known that it would be hard, but she couldn't help feeling so sorry for him. She also couldn't help feeling that it was all her fault. She should never have met him. She should have never tried to meet with him, to ask about her origins, to bring him down top the cabin just because she wanted to find out what her past was. It was her searching that had caused this; it was because of her that this innocent man was going through so much inner turmoil. 

   Well, it was too late now. She had to fix this, and she had to fix it now. She'd pay him back with her sacrifice, maybe that would be enough to make up for all she'd caused. "CP 1? I can only imagine how horrible you must feel right now, like someone has taken a knife to your heart and is plunging it deeper and deeper, but you must listen to me now."

   Tears still slid down his cheeks, but he raised his head to listen, if nothing else.

   "I have an antidote to the chemical with me right now, but you have to be asleep to take it, and you have to work with the medicine or else your memory will be lost forever."

   He was a little confused, but nodded slowly to show he understood so far. 

   "CP 1, a person who has had their memory taken away as brutally as you did, would have to have a great control over their mind for them to be able to order it to work with the antidote, and to lower its defenses. You have this control, I know you do, but to order your mind to do so you'll also have to want to have your memory back. If you don't want it back, it won't work. Do you understand?"

   "Yes. I-I understand." His chocolate colored eyes looked into hers, and she shivered involuntarily at the raw emotion she saw mirrored in them. 

    "So you want your memory back?" She whispered, not able to raise her voice at all.

    This time instead of sadness, she saw an angry and almost fierce determination. "Yes." His voice didn't tremble and his jaw was set. He wanted the truth, he wanted it so badly that he was willing to put aside all doubts and faithfully follow her to wherever she may lead, be it damnation or salvation.

   She hoped she didn't disappoint him.

   She pulled out the vial and the needle she'd put in her pockets. CP 1 flinched at the sight of the needle, but stayed still and stiff, determined not to be frightened off. She also pulled out a sleeping pill that she'd found hidden in her food one day. She'd decided to hold onto it, should it come in handy. She believed that today it would serve her purpose nicely.

   She handed him the pill, but stopped him before he immediately popped it into his mouth. "The pill is extremely fast acting, and will put you to sleep in no less than four minutes. I want you to close your eyes right after you swallow it, and get you mind as free and loose and unprotected as you can possibly make it."

   He nodded and then put it in and swallowed, sitting down on the floor against the wall, closing his eyes as she'd directed him to.

   Elf 17 watched him, making sure he was following her directions, and then stuck the needle tip inside of the vial, carefully and slowly filling it. When she'd filled it to the correct measurement, she squirted out a bit of the extra, and then placed the vial on the floor and moved over to CP 1.

   "CP 1, no, don't open your eyes, just listen to me. I am going to inject the antidote now, and I'm going to insert it into your blood stream through your throat. This will hurt a little, but I need your to stay still okay?" she asked, talking to him sweetly as one might speak to a toddler.

   She received a timid nod.

   "Okay then." She let out a sigh, and then placed the needlepoint on his throat, where she would be inserting it. She saw CP 1 clench his eyes tighter, and then stuck the needle in.

   CP 1 bit his lip, desperately trying to hold onto his concentration as he felt the needle go in. the sleeping pill was beginning to take effect, and though he was slowly slipping away, he still felt the pain. But he ignored it, focusing on freeing his mind and bringing down barriers…freeing his mind…and bringing down barriers… freeing his mind…freeing…

   Elf 17 pulled out the needle about five seconds before CP 1 toppled over onto the floor asleep. She gazed at him fondly, knowing that the true work, and the real battle, was about to be fought. A forty percent chance of recovery wasn't good odds, but if anyone could use them to their advantage, it would be Jarod. 

Time Undeterminable

The Centre

Air Ducts Above Sub-level 9

Angelo moved on with a one-minded focus, traveling through the ducts without stopping or truly seeing what was around him. He tracked where the two pretenders had gone by the feelings they had left behind. It was visible to him. He could normally see people's auroras, could feel their feelings, could sometimes make them feel emotions, and he was able to see the leftover feelings in the ducts as it hung in the air like thick smoke.

   He had finally reached sub-level ten when he was assaulted by waves of intense emotion. He clutched at his head, the fear, the anxiety, the need to protect, the anger…they were all washing over him, threatening to drown him.

   He forced himself to calm down, and gritted his teeth as he traveled closer and closer to the strong emotions. They were all so conflicting, and so powerful. He could also sense battle, and knew that Jarod was fighting to remember. 

   He stopped at one of the air vent's exits, and then slowly crawled out. There had been sweepers in this hall a few minutes ago. He could feel the residual fear. They were gone now though, and that let him scurry over to the storage room door unhindered. He rapped once, and then twice, and then stayed silent.

   He could feel Elf 17's rising panic as she neared the door, and then the relief as she smelled him on the other side. The door was flung open and Angelo crept inside, first aware of CP 1 lying against the wall, asleep, but hardly resting.

    Elf 17 smiled at him, though he could tell that she was worried as to why he'd tracked her down. "Angelo, what are you doing here? You know that Jarod and I are trying to leave." 

   "Elf was in trouble. Needed key, or wouldn't be free."

   She gave him a look of pure bafflement. "What? I don't underst…"

   Suddenly Angelo's eyes widened in pain and terror. He shrieked and put his hands on the side of his head, moving back and forth and keeping his eyes tightly closed.

   Elf 17, panicked by his strange movements, turned to see CP 1 convulsing on the floor. She rushed over to him, and held him comfortingly but securely, as his own body seemed to fight against him. She'd read about this in the information that had been given to her about the chemical. His mind was confused and was fighting against the antidote. It was battling an ally, but was too drugged to know it.

    She turned her head from CP 1 momentarily and caught a glimpse of Angelo as he stopped moving and became still, hugging his knees as he lay on the ground, breathing in and out and in and out.

   She looked back at CP 1 as he fought himself, seeing the rapid eye movement behind his eyelids that let her know that he was also deeply involved in a dream.

   She felt so helpless; she didn't know what to do. She held him and she rocked back and forth, tears of utter pain and fading hope cascading like miniature waterfalls down her dust-covered cheeks. 

   "Don't fight it Jarod," she whispered to him, and moved some of his hair back from his sweating forehead. "Please don't fight it."

   She thought she saw his convulsions getting weaker so she continued on.

   "Jarod, you can't give up on me. You've never given up before, why start now? You still have so much to do, your time isn't up and you aren't going to spend the rest of your years in the Centre, not if I have anything to say about it." She smiled, though it was an odd contradiction to the tears that were still falling. "Jarod, you still have a name. It's yours, and no one can take that away from you. You have an identity, you have a past, you have a family. Don't let them rip it from your hands again, don't let them steal away all you've come to know and love. You don't deserve that."

   CP 1 began regulating his breathing once more, and he was hardly even squirming in her grip. She was close, she had to keep talking.

    "Jarod I never thought that there would be more to my life than sims and cells. You allowed me to find my past; you helped me come to a decision I'd been too afraid to make. I need you Jarod, Sydney needs you, Broots needs you, and Ms. Parker won't live without you. If you're not going to remember for yourself, do it for me. Do it for them. Do it for all of the wronged and hurt people out there that require your aid. Just don't, don't give up."

    She listened fro a few minutes, scanning his face, and then she shut her eyes, unable to look any longer.

    "El-Elf 17?" someone moaned.

   She looked down, and met wide and open eyes. She could barely suppress the cry of joy that wanted so badly to escape her mouth when she realized that they weren't CP 1's eyes, they were Jarod's. 

   The old Jarod was back.  

    She hugged him, and she didn't let go. She sobbed into his gray shirt, and nuzzled up against him, relishing the moment.

   Jarod was confused, as well he should be, but he sensed Elf 17's need to be held and comforted, so he just wrapped his arms around her, letting her tears soak his shirt. He wasn't entirely sure what he was doing in a computer storage room and out of his cell, but judging by Elf 17's joy, that wasn't the biggest accomplishment at the moment.

   When she felt ready to let go she moved back from him and stood up, giving him a smile before she went and checked on Angelo. He was doing all right, he was a little shaken, and probably hadn't been prepared for the onslaught of emotions that had emanated from Jarod, but other than some shivering, he was doing fine.  

   Elf 17 gave him an encouraging pat on the back and then walked back over to Jarod and helped him up from the ground. 

   "Are you okay Jarod?" she asked him, genuinely worried. "Do you remember what's gone on?"

   He rubbed the back of his neck. "It's coming back slowly, and in bits and pieces, but I'm remembering." He thought of a way to verify this. "Well, see, like right now I'm remembering the talk we had in the air vents, when you'd come for me in the dark, certain simulations that Raines and Lyle had me perform, when Sydney and the others had come to visit me and…" his eyes suddenly bulged out and a grin almost too large for his face appeared on his lips. His eyes sparkled with almost maniacal glee, and he gently touched his forehead. "Wow…" he murmured softly. "She does like me…"

    Elf 17 arched an eyebrow, and Jarod's cheeks flushed red. 

   "Uh, I'll explain later." He looked around the room and saw Angelo, who had just gotten up off of the ground. "Hi Angelo!"

    Angelo gave a large and goofy grin. "H-Hi Jarod." 

   Elf 17 tapped Jarod on the shoulder and he spun around to face her. 

   "Jarod, we're on sub-level ten. The computer functions are all shut down, so nearly every door in the Centre is accessible." She tried to hide the sadness in her eyes as she smiled at him. "It's time to be free."

   "All right let's go!" he turned and headed to the door, but stopped once he heard that he was the only one running. He looked back and saw Elf 17, her head hanging and her shoulders loose. "What is it?" he asked quietly.

   "Jarod…I'm not going."

   "What do you mean you're not going? Surely you don't **_want_**to be here?"

   "No, of course not! What sane person does? But I have to. If I don't, it's possible that Broots and Ms. Parker, and Dr. Green will be found out. If I stay behind I can fully take the blame, and try to keep the Centre off of your back as long as possible."

    He gave a deadpan expression. "So that's it. You're planning on sacrificing yourself to the Centre and you expect me to just turn around and leave you behind." He smirked. "I thought you knew me better than that."

    "Don't be so stubborn!" she raged, and it came out as a mixture of a yell and choked off sob. "Jarod, even if I went with you, we'd be found." She pointed angrily at the collar around her neck. "Do you see this?! Lyle put this on me a few days ago. It has a tracking device installed. The second I step past Centre boundaries, I show up as a red dot on a map." 

   "Then we'll find a way to disable it or destroy it! Elf 17, you just gave me back my life, I'm not going to let you give up your own just to ensure my freedom. Whatever the chances are we'll take them, but we'll take them together."

    She growled at him, unmoved by his speech. "ARRGHH! Why must you be so difficult?!"

    He shrugged off her outburst with a wink. "It's just one of my many positive traits."

    She was just about to tackle him to the ground in frustration when she was tapped on the shoulder. Angelo was standing beside her, holding out a clenched fist. She looked at him quietly as he took her hand and placed his fist atop it. When he removed his own hand and stepped back, she looked at her open palm and saw that it was holding the controlling device to her collar.

    She was speechless, but apparently Angelo received his thanks from her emotions, because he then turned and left the room, not saying a word.

   She carefully pressed the release button on the device and a control panel popped out. There were tons of glittering buttons, but she had seen the one that Lyle had pushed. That memory would be forever engraved in her mind. She pushed the button, and then reached up, and tore off the collar, and let it and the controlling device fall to the floor.

   She rubbed her neck softly, and she didn't even look aware of her movements as she stared into off into space.

   Jarod reached over and laid a hand on her shoulder, and she looked with confusion into his eyes, his beautiful and understanding eyes.

   "Let's go." He whispered to her.

   She couldn't help but smile as she nodded her agreement.  

Ten Minutes Later

Actual Time Unknown

The Centre

Level One, Back Exit

Jarod and Elf ran. They ran with a speed fueled only by their overpowering determination, but the fuel worked well enough.

   Jarod had gotten them to this point by secret passages and routes that Elf 17 had never even thought of. Then again, she hadn't had an original blue print of the Centre stored on a disc. Jarod had. And he'd memorized it. 

   Elf 17 was also beginning to feel that the sweepers were nothing but brawn. She could think of a dozen obvious places that would have put the sweepers in a positive strategic position should they have chosen to guard them. But, predictably, they were left unwatched. She couldn't complain though, after all if they had been there she and Jarod would never have come as far as they did, and wouldn't be seeing the door they were now looking at.

    Elf 17 grinned and looked up eagerly at Jarod. He just smiled and gave a dramatic sweep of his hand.  "Go right ahead."

   She took in a deep breath, and reached for the door's handle.

   "Freeze!"

    Both pretenders spun to face the voice, looking like kids who'd gotten their hands stuck in the cookie jar.

   Willie stood solemnly, only two yards away, a loaded gun out in front of him with its point trained on Jarod.

   Elf 17 quietly groaned from her position back at the door. "Oh no…"

   "Put your hands out where I can see them Jarod!" He barked. "I've waited a long time to repay you for the pain you've caused me, and I think I'll be able to do it now." His face became contorted with fury. "You had me look like an **_idiot_** and a **_fool_** when you escaped the first time, and when you were caught you brought Elf 17 down with you. She doesn't deserve this life Jarod! She's just a girl! But when they caught you, they caught her, so now any chance she could have had at a future is gone. I'm not going to let you be free while she stays locked in the sub-levels."

    Jarod was confused. "But Willie I didn't--"

   "Shut up!" 

   Elf 17 sighed and stepped out from the shadows she hadn't realized she'd been standing in. 

   Willie jumped nearly two feet in the air. "Holy shi-" he caught himself. "Elf 17?! What are you doing out here?!"

   Elf 17 folded her arms crossly. "I was about to ask you the same thing. I'm escaping. With Jarod."

   "But I thought…never mind." He shook his head. "Elf 17, I can let you go, hell, I **_want _**you to go, but I have to bring Jarod back."

   "Sorry, I can't let you do that Willie. If he remains here they'll take everything from him. We're going together."

   He squinted. "What? You want to save he man who brought you back here in the first place?"

   "You've got it mixed up Willie. **_I _**caused **_Jarod _**to be captured. Not the other way around."

   "But-"

   "Let it go Willie." She implored him. "For me, for the friendship you gave to a lonely girl in the darkness of the sublevels, let it go."

    "But what about Raines? I can't return and just tell him that I let you walk right past me! What am I going to do about that?"

    She thought silently for a moment. Then it clicked. "I know! I could knock you unconscious!"

   He looked hopeful. "Really? You think?"

   "Tchh. Of course I do! Are you kidding? It's easy." 

   He gave a childish grin. "Okay!" he closed his eyes and dropped his gun on the floor. "Ready!" 

   Elf 17 walked up and silently analyzed where the best place to aim for would be to make it as quick and painless as possible. When she'd found the spot she smiled.

    "Goodbye Willie, and thanks." Then she jumped up and sent a kick directly to his head, knocking him off of his feet and effectively rendering him unconscious.

   Jarod gave her a measuring look. "You two have an extremely weird friendship, you know that?"

   "This from the man who's hunted by his childhood sweetheart." She scoffed as she set Willie up against the wall so he'd be at least slightly comfortable.

   He laughed. "Yeah, I suppose you have a point."

   "I have more than just a point, I have a story plot." She dusted off her hands and then gestured to the door. "Shall we?"

   They both grinned in delight, relief, and newfound hope as they stepped out of the door and ran into the frostbitten air of the chilly autumn night, finally free.

************************************************************************************

I offer my sincerest apologies for taking a few days to post this, but I didn't want to split it into more than one chapter. I hope you enjoyed it, and I'll be posting my next, (and last) chapter soon. Talk to you later!

  PS:

     PLEASE GIVE ME FEEDBACK! Long, detailed, and with a good amount of help or advice please! Though plain old compliments are also approved. **=** ****


	15. The End Of A Beginning

**Disclaimer: **I cannot lay claim to this wonderful plot and its characters, (besides my own twisted creations) though I fervently wish it were otherwise. [Folds arms and pouts] Why can't you major television corporations learn to share?

**Rating: **PG. I'm positive this time.

   [Cue excerpt from "Fern Gully The Last Rainforest"]

Zack: "I'm positive."

Batty: "Only fools are positive."

Zack: "Are you sure?"

Batty: "I'm positive."

    Sorry. Just had to get that out of my system. ;)

**Summary:** This is a short conclusion, wrap-up for the story I've put so much into writing. Here it goes: Elf 17 and Jarod have successfully evaded the clutches of the Centre. How will everyone react, and what will they do now?

**!!!Authors Note!!!: I just wanted to say how thankful I am to all of you who have read my story and to those who have also taken the time to give me feedback. I wouldn't have continued with the story if you all hadn't told me your opinions, and it is your opinions that are compelling me to write a sequel. I hope you enjoyed reading the tale as much as I enjoyed writing it.**

**Feedback: **(Shadow Elf is becoming desperate. She just realized that her powers are lacking, and that her wits are somewhat less then witty. She is now resolved to make one final move…)

   [Pointing behind the mage] "Look! It's Saruman!"

Maverick: [Spinning around to look with wide and joy-filled eyes] Where?! 

   _Sucker. _[Shadow Elf turns and runs down the hill, and only when she reaches the bottom does Maverick realize that his idol Saruman is not truly there]

Maverick: Drat.

   [Muttering with such a high tone and speed that the sound resembles gerbils on helium] "Portal rise and realm be opened, portal rise and realm be opened…" (A large doorway grows from the ground, swirling blue, clearly made of magical forces)

   [Shadow Elf grins and looks back at Maverick before giving him a sloppy salute] "See ya, you obsessive and all around freaky psychopath! Remember to write from the mental institution!" [She blows him a kiss and hops in, and from inside the portal you can hear music that strangely resembles the sound track from George Lucas' "Star Wars"]

Maverick: [Frowns and folds his arms as the portal closes and disappears] I lose more magical beings that way…

**Quote:**

**"Endings Are Only Beginnings In Disguise."**

----**Unknown**

************************************_ShadowElfBard_**************************************

**One For The Feedback, Two For The Need, Three To Have Fun, And Four to Read!**

9:23 AM

Blue Cove, Delaware

The Centre

Mr. Parker's Office

Everyone was once again gathered in the Director's room, though most were a little worse for wear.    Mr. Parker had slightly disheveled hair, Raines had bags under his eyes, Lyle looked partially insane, and Bridgett didn't have a lollipop in her mouth for once. (She'd eaten them all out of anxiety last night while awaiting news on the pretenders' location). Broots was more nervous than ever, and **_still _**couldn't figure out why he had to come with Ms. Parker to her father's office, (though he suspected it was a new form of torture) but he managed to stand still and shift his eyes only a little. Ms. Parker looked perfect, as usual. She could walk through a tiger pit, become struck by lightning, and get sucked into a twister and not a single hair would be out of place. It was like some supernatural talent she had.

   Mr. Parker cleared his throat, ready to receive the news, but already knowing what it would be. "Well Lyle, Raines, what is the verdict?"

   Raines looked to Lyle, silently urging him on with his eyes. Lyle tried to remain calm but couldn't keep his fists from shaking with fury as he placed the metal collar and control device on his father's desk, along with an empty vial and a needle. He took a step back and thrust his hands into his suit pockets to hide his hands as they were struck by tremors. "These were found in a computer storage room on sub-level 10." He gave a rueful smile. "The residue of the chemical found in the vial has been accurately identified as a counter-agent to he memory loss drug administered to Jarod. There is an estimated eighty-nine point three percent chance that Jarod now remember who he is."

   Mr. Parker regarded the items with tightly closed lips, but Ms. Parker, remembering the act she had to keep up, burst out with anger and "surprise" about hearing of Jarod's memory loss. 

   "You gave him a drug to make him lose his memory?! Why wasn't I told?!"

   "That information was given out only on a strict need-to know basis." Raines sneered. "You didn't need to know and so therefore you were not told."

    "Didn't need to know? And who made that bull-headed decision?" she demanded angrily.

   "That would be me." Lyle told her, her anger actually calming his rage.

  "Figures." She scoffed. "Well, I warned you earlier 'dear brother'," she spat out, "that it would only be a few days before Jarod escaped and me and the two idiots had to return to the dungeon." She folded her arms. "Though I had figured you'd be able to hold him longer than a mere **_week_**."

    Lyle simply gave a tight smile, using it to hold back the dozen evil things he was imagining doing to her. 

   Mr. Parker finally looked up from the items on his desk, an expression so blank and unreadable upon his face that all bickering and talking stopped and all in the room focused on him.

   "How was the escape done Raines? What are your theories?"

   "Either there was a computer failure like we thought, and Elf 17 took advantage of the situation, or the failure was purposely created. We're not sure at this point which one it was."

    Strangely, Broots didn't move suspiciously when the idea of inside help was presented. Though it may have been because of the evil death glare that Ms. Parker had given him earlier and the clearly implied threat of losing an appendage. 

   "You have reason to believe that one of our own could have helped them?" Mr. Parker said, his tone low and deadly.

   "We have no real evidence yet, but there's always the possibility." Raines answered back curtly.

   Ms. Parker watched her father's face, trying to decipher the emotions he was doing so well at hiding. She couldn't recognize what she saw. Well, perhaps she should just ask him. 

   "Daddy?" She asked, using her best 'concerned-and-loving-loyal-daughter' voice.

   He sighed. "I'm all right angel. It's just frustrating that Jarod is able to so easily slip out of our traps, and then the idea that one of our own employees might have helped them..." 

   Bridgett gave a sympathetic look and hugged him. "Aw, it'll be better luv. There's always next time."

   He smiled at her and embraced her back. "Yes, you're right, there's always next time." They rubbed noses together, adding to Ms. Parker's urge to vomit, and then Mr. Parker turned back to his audience. 

   "You know doubt know that the Triumvate will have to know of this, though I doubt we could keep it a secret anyways. Raines, you and my son will both be coming with me to the Tower." He took on a grim look. "If we're lucky the punishment will be a light one." He stood up and looked over at his daughter. "As of right now you angel, along with your technician and Dr. Green will be put back on the pursuit team. I have to check with the higher-ups, but I'm nearly positive that you'll be adding Elf 17 to your search."

   Ms. Parker nodded and took the orders as her permission to leave. She jerked her head at Broots, and he began to follow her out of the room. But right before she left she stopped by Lyle, and leaned in close to his ear.

   "Oh and Lyle?" she whispered, her eyes glittering with cruel intent. "I told you so." Then she turned and walked out, her head up and confident as always. 

   Lyle didn't even turn to watch her go, but by the expression on his face it was painfully obvious that the words had struck home and ignited a fire.

   Raines watched Lyle and then raised an eyebrow questioningly.

   Lyle turned to him and put on his best calm and cool smile. "She was just wishing me luck."

   Mr. Parker stood and gestured to the door and the three men filed out, prepared to receive judgment from the Tower, Lyle and Raines lagging a little behind. 

    "We'll have to watch over your sister's little group." Raines told him, once he was sure that the Director was out of range. 

    "If we're even able to see after the Triumvate is through with us that is." Lyle responded grimly.

   "We have brought back the DSA case and the DSA's within them are already being copied and sent off. They'll go lighter on us because of that." He gave Lyle a measuring look. "But we understand each other as far as your sister and her team are involved?"

   Lyle remembered the words she had whispered so maliciously into his ear. He clenched his fists. "Oh don't worry about that Raines. If I find out that any of them aided Elf 17 and Jarod, they will receive no mercy from me." His eyes blazed. "If they helped, they will pay."

    Raines gave a satisfied smirk.

    "Keep up your two!" Mr. Parker yelled back at them. 

    Lyle and Raines ceased their chatter, and resumed walking at a normal pace, strolling down the corridors to discover their fate.

10:14 AM  
The Centre

Blue Cove, Delaware

Pursuit Team's Main Office

Sydney set down his box of personal items and desk decorators with a sigh of pure joy. 

   "It's good to be back." He announced to the near-empty room. 

    Broots, sitting over at his computer, having already set up his office, smiled at the older man's declaration. "Yeah Syd, I have to agree with you there." He suddenly scanned the room worriedly.

   Sydney chuckled. "No Broots, there are no cameras watching us. They took them down when we were moved out remember? They won't be set back up until this afternoon. "

   "Oh good." Broots said in relief. He then resumed typing, his fingers becoming a blur as they sped across the keyboard. He stopped, and read what he'd written, his brow furrowed.

   Sydney, slightly intrigued by the technician's concentration, walked over to him. "What's that you're working on Broots?"

   He looked up, startled, and then grew a guilty expression, and seemed to be debating over whether he should tell Sydney the truth or not. He apparently decided it was all right, because he scooted out of the way and turned the monitor so that Sydney could read it easily.

   Sydney looked at the e-mail he was typing and then read the attached documents. His eyes widened and the psychiatrist actually let his mouth hang open slightly.

   "Broots are you sure--"

   "It's all taken care of Sydney. I'm safe, the Centre won't be able to reach it." 

   Sydney smiled. "Well so long as the Centre can't get it, then I must say that this is undoubtedly the most caring, noble, and sincere thing I have ever witnessed someone in the Centre do."

   Broots grew red in the face. "Oh no, it's nothing so big." He said humbly. "I mean I figure this is just paying her back for all she's done. She, she deserves it." 

   Sydney couldn't get the smile off of his face and he looked over what Broots was sending once more.

   "Uh, Syd?"  

   "Yes Broots?"

   "Do, do you think she'll like it?"

   Sydney stood up straight and looked Broots in the eyes. "I'm afraid I don't know her well enough to make that judgment Broots. " Broots hung his head. "But," Sydney added, causing Broots to raise it. "I would think that to someone who has had as much done to them as her, it would be a most welcome gift, and one of the best that could be given."

    "You think?"

     "I do."  

    Broots looked back at what he'd written, seeing it in a different light. He brightened and grinned at Sydney. "Thanks."

    Sydney gave him a warm smile. "Your welcome Broots." He clapped the man on the back. "Now, send that off and let's get started on the task at hand. We have a lot of work ahead of us, now that we'll be tracking down **_two _**pretenders."

    Broots gave a playful pout. "Oh come on Sydney. Can't we wait a bit before we start that?"

   "We could." Then Sydney looked at him meaningfully. "But we'd have to answer to Ms. Parker."

    Broots turned pale and turned back to his computer, clicking the SEND button and starting up his search program, his movements faster than could be followed.

  Sydney's amused laugh echoed throughout the room, and all seemed right in the world.

12: 47 PM

Blue Cove, Delaware

Blue Cove City Park

Elf 17 beamed as she gazed at the park full of happy children running, playing, laughing, living in a sweet, blissful ignorance of the troubles and woes of the world, afraid only of bugs and missing snack time or a cartoon show, seeing and understanding everything in the simple and logical view of a child. It was a sight that raised her spirits and made her question what it would have been like if she'd had the time to be a real kid when she was younger, to have fun outdoors, to make friends, to play in a sandbox and have ice cream at the park. Childhood seemed so good and pure a thing that it caused her to wonder how it was that someone could be so evil as to steal that away. How was it that adults could so easily forget childhood pleasures and willingly, consciously, take away that right and privilege from others? But, she supposed, perhaps greed was just too powerful a disease to overcome.

    She and Jarod had split up last night after they'd escaped, and they'd agreed to meet at this park should it be safe and clear. Jarod had told her that he needed to get some things that he'd kept at a safe house here in Blue Cove, but that he did want to meet with her once more before they took their freedom and went their separate ways. Elf 17 had spent the night sleeping near the entrance of an alley, housed in a cardboard refrigerator box, knowing that the Centre would believe them to already be past the state line. When she'd woken up in the morning she was stunned upon seeing a few paper bills and some coins in an empty take-out box right in front of her makeshift abode.

    People had thought her to be homeless, and it seemed that in Blue Cove, not everybody was like the Centre employees.

   She'd ended up with nearly thirty dollars, and though she'd been mightily confused in the beginning, she'd discovered why the money had been left there and she'd decided to use it to buy some actual clothing so that she'd be able to fit in the crowds. She'd gone to a local Wal-Mart, and though she'd received odd looks at her unusual outfit and bare feet, the salespeople had been more than happy to help her pick something out.

   She'd chose to get something a bit more flexible in style this time around. Though it had been nice of the boy at the clothing store in Las Vegas to pick it out for her, leather wasn't really her thing. And when she'd discovered what leather was actually **_made _**of, she'd been more determined than ever to stay as far away from that clothing material as humanly possible. So, in the end, she'd bought a pair of loose black sweatpants and a sky blue spaghetti-strap top. 

   She'd buried her Centre clothing in the dumpster out back. 

   She'd still been barefoot however, and had spent nearly all morning traveling through Blue Cove trying to find a place that sold footwear for three dollars and sixteen cents. She'd gone around stopping passer-bys and asking where she could locate a store that sold cheap shoes. Whenever she told them exactly **_how _**cheap she'd needed them though, they'd tell her they couldn't help her or downright laugh in her face. She'd been asking the fifteenth person that morning when an older woman, perhaps sixty or seventy, had taken pity on her. She'd brought her to her house and told her that she bought clothing for her granddaughter who was roughly the same size and build as she was, though perhaps a bit older, and had given her a pair of black open-toed sandals and a gray hooded sweatshirt with a glittering silver design of an intricately drawn butterfly on the front of it and a stretched version of the butterfly down the sleeves. It had been so wonderful that Elf 17 had refused it at first, saying that the lady should give it to her granddaughter and that she really didn't need it, but the lady had practically thrust it into her hands and just smiled at Elf 17's protests. When Elf 17 had left, after thanking the woman profusely for her generosity and kindness, she'd slipped what little money she'd had in her pockets into the old woman's penny jar. It had been all she could give, but she just hadn't been able to leave without paying her back in some way.

   So now she sat under a tree, on a bench by the park, relishing in the mixture of sun and shadow dancing across her fair skin and wondering what it was that could be keeping Jarod.

   "Sorry to keep you waiting."

   Elf 17 slowly turned her head and gave Jarod a patronizing look as he sat down and joined her. "You're an hour late you know." Then she took in what he was wearing and gave a little laugh. "Though I suppose you were up to more important things hmm?"

   He was wearing almost the exact same clothing he had adorned himself with when she'd first met him. He had on dark sunglasses, a black leather jacket, a black shirt, and a pair of dark jeans. He also had a black duffel bag slung over his shoulder.  

   He chuckled. "I could say the same about you. Where did you get the money?"

   "I slept in an alley and people assumed I was homeless." She turned her head and gazed back at the children playing at the park. "Things are very different on the outside of the Centre. When I traveled with Broots, I thought I'd seen all that humans could do in every shape and form to some varying degree. I guess I still have a lot to learn." 

   Jarod watched the park also and smiled. "That statement's more true than you could ever hope to know. I've been running out here for nearly two or three years and they still surprise me in someway everyday." He then snapped his fingers. "Oh! I almost forgot." He opened his duffel bag and searched around before pulling out a red folder. He opened it and then removed two pieces of paper.

   She raised an eyebrow. "Is that the famous red folder I've heard about?"

   "Not the original. The Centre took and confiscated all of the stuff I had at the cabin, but I've been buying and storing things in a secret location here in Blue Cove, along with some money I've 'appropriated' from them, ever since I first got out so that should I ever need to make a hasty escape, I can leave my stuff behind without worrying about it." he frowned. "Though it is really a shame that they stole all of my pez containers. I had a really good collection going…"

   She couldn't help but laugh. "You hid things you wanted to keep safe here, in Blue Cove?"

   "They'd never think to look here would they?" 

   "No, I suppose not." She then frowned at the papers he held. "So, what are those?"

   "Actually, I'm not sure. I was getting my stuff from the hide-away, and I was checking to see if my laptop still worked when it came up with a message that I had mail."

   "Mail? You mean E-mail? But I didn't think that you let anyone know your address."

   He was just as surprised as her. "I don't. Not unless I need Sydney or one of the other people on the pursuit team to do something for me. But even then, it's carefully concealed and there are tons of safety precautions."

   She tilted her head. "So, who sent it?"

   He looked heaven ward with a smirk. "Actually, it was Angelo." He held up his hands. "Don't ask me how he does it, even when I've tried, unsuccessfully I might add, to pretend him, I couldn't understand how he did anything. But anyhow, it seems that Broots typed this up for you, and Angelo routed it to me." 

    While Elf 17 blinked in confusion, he handed her the papers. She took them, a bit cautiously, and then began reading the letter that had been typed up aloud.

   "Dear Elf 17,

          The night after the Centre let me go home, my daughter asked me why I hadn't been able to leave before. What I'd told her was that my bosses thought that I'd done something they thought to be bad, and hadn't let me return because they wanted to find out if I really did it or not. It was the easiest way I could explain it to her, because even though she is thirteen and really smart, **_I _**still can't understand the Centre. She'd taken my explanation well enough, and had then asked me what had made them decide to let me off the hook.  I'd told her it was because I had a very special friend who was looking out for me. (I saw the security footage. I still can't believe that you did those tests for me.) After I told her, she'd asked very simply, 'did you thank them'?

   "It had made me wonder, and I'd realized that I hadn't. Yeah, I know that I turned off the computer functions, but I did that simply because it was the right thing to do. So, here I am, typing at my computer, writing things that could very easily get me killed if shown to the right person. No, I don't have a secret hope to commit suicide, but I needed to get you my 'thank-you' and I'm not about to spend the next two years trying to do it. =) 

   "On the page I have attached, is my gift to you. You can turn it down if you wish, it is your choice to do so, but I just wanted to try and give you something from my heart that would fully show and express to you my gratitude. I hope you enjoy it and look forward to when I can see you again, hopefully from the same side of the battlefield."

   Elf 17 stopped and looked up at Jarod, judging his reaction and trying to see if it matched her own.

   It did. His eyes were wide with wonder, and his mouth was opened slightly. He motioned with his hand for her to go on and she complied. The next paper looked like an official declaration.

   "Dear sir or madam,

          This document that you have received is a certifiable legal statement that will be added to state and federal records. This change upon your condition has either been requested or given to you (depending upon your legal status), and is to be seen as a permanent and binding alteration, to take effect three days after this notice is received at exactly twelve noon, corresponding with the time zone of the area in which this document was received. Should you wish to make any changes to the below information, it must be done before the expiration date. We congratulate you on your change, and hope that you are pleased with the results."

    Before reading on, she looked up once more at Jarod, and saw that the corners of his mouth were curving into a smile. He knew what this was.

   She took a deep breath and then read the last part.

   "As of today, your name change is as follows," her eyes lit up with a blinding sparkle that rivaled all the diamonds of the world. "One: Elf 17, shall be henceforth referred to and known as: Astrea Edona Broots."

   Her eyes watered and she let out a small sob of joy and elation as untainted ecstasy surged through her veins. She rubbed at her tears before reading the note that had been added on to the certificate by Broots.

   "The first and middle parts of the name above is Greek, as I've discovered you're family lineage comes from. Astrea means innocence and purity and Edona means fiery spirit. I thought that they fit you perfectly. I've arranged it with the department who did this name change for me, so that the last name may be changed at any time. I did that so that you can take on the name that should have been yours should you ever find your real family. But until then, I'd like you to be a part of mine. 

                                                                                                    Your friend, 

                                                                                                             Broots."

   She set down the paper and put a hand over her mouth, floating on a cloud nine that she'd never thought she'd be able to reach. She had a name. She had a true name, chosen with as much thought and compassion as any other. She was not Elf 17 any longer. She was not a simple science project, or a creation of a corporation; she was just she, herself. She was Astrea Edona Broots, and she was free.

   Jarod stood up and held out his hand. She sniffed and then let out a rough sigh and carefully pocketed the paper.

   "So," she said finally. "We separate now huh?"

   He nodded. "That was the plan."

   "Yeah." She shuffled her feet and bit her lip. "You know what Jarod? I never really liked following plans."

   He studied her. "What are you suggesting?" 

   "I don't really know how to do the whole 'underdog heroine' bit. I'm not sure how to pick where I go to help people, or how to pick those I help." She clasped her hands behind her back and bounced on the balls of her feet. "You wouldn't mind all that much if I sort of joined you for a while would you? Just for one or two states?"

   He pretended to be in deep thought, though he did it with purposeful amateurism. "Well…okay. But for four states, that's it."

   She smiled and brought her hands out in front of her. "Thanks Jarod."

   "You're welcome…Astrea."

    "Astrea…" She murmured thoughtfully. "I'm really going to get used to the sound of that. Hey," she punched his arm playfully. "Race you!" She winked at him and then she dashed off, moving effortlessly across the grass.

   "Hey wait! Race me where?" He groaned and shook his head with in exasperation. "What have I gotten myself into?" Then he sprinted off and followed her.

    And so the two pretenders, Astrea and Jarod, ran. They ran towards new lives, new experiences, and new discoveries. For they were free, and it could be told from the sound of their laughter as it danced on the breeze, that they were going to use that freedom as best they could.

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        I sincerely hope that the ending to this half of the tale was a fitting one, and that you all enjoyed this little story of mine. Yes, there will be a sequel, and it will be posted in a few days so you need not wait long. But for the moment, our voyage has come to an end and I would like to make my appreciation for every scrap of feedback I received known. This story means a lot to me, as I hope it did to you, because it is my very first fan fiction and, because of all the feedback and reviews I received, it will not be the last. So, until next time, I bid you a fond farewell.

                                                                                         ----------------ShadowElfBard         


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